Defending Champion Nadal Survives Isner Battle

© Getty ImagesWorld No. 1 Rafael Nadal is 221-18 on clay courts in his career.

Top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal started his bid on Tuesday to win a sixth Roland Garros crown and equal Bjorn Borg's record in Paris.

The Spaniard improved to 15-3 lifetime in five-set matches after he survived a first-round scare against John Isner to record a 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-4 win. He is now 39-1 overall at the clay-court Grand Slam championship.

“[At the end of the third set] I thought I was close to being out,” confessed Nadal. “I couldn’t find a way to break. I had 15/40 at 6-5 in the third set, but he was serving fantastic and they were tough moments for me.

“I only faced one break point in the whole match, but I didn’t play well in the tie-breaks; I was too nervous in my opinion. For the rest of the match I did not play fantastic, but I never play fantastic in the first round here, so that was not unexpected.”

Isner said, “I had a feeling that if I put forth a good effort and gave it my all out there that I could give it a good shot and maybe even win the match. There’s no need to take the court if I don’t believe that. Really, what it came down to was the way he played in the fourth and fifth sets; I haven’t ever seen tennis like that. That’s why he is No. 1 in the world and one of the greatest players ever.”

Nadal converted one of five break point opportunities in the first set, when Isner hit a backhand into the tramline at 3-3, 30/40. The 26-year-old American committed 13 unforced errors in the 46-minute set.

At 4-2 in the second set, Nadal appeared to be in control. But Isner went onto win three straight games including a break for 4-4, when Nadal overcooked a forehand at 30/40. Isner captured the tie-break after opening up a 4-1 lead.

The third set went with serve and nearing another tie-break, Nadal ambushed Isner ripping two deep returns and racing to the net. At 5-6, 15/40, Isner dug himself out of trouble with four unreturned serves. The World No. 39 dominated the tie-break, maintaining an early three-point cushion to leave Nadal reeling.

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Two handy backhand returns from Nadal, and a double fault by Isner, gave the World No. 1 a service break in the third game of the fourth set. Nadal broke again for a 5-2 and went on to contest the 18th five-set match of his career.

Nadal quickly raised his game early in the deciding set. Isner paid the price for hitting successive second serves into court, as Nadal struck two unreturned backhands to break to love for 1-2. Isner kept battling, but Nadal maintained the service break and completed victory in just over four hours with a nervous hold to 30.

It was his 125th win at a major championship (125-18 overall) and he improved to a 37-6 match record on the season. Nadal also maintained his record of never losing a first round at a Grand Slam championship.

Nadal hit 61 winners to Isner's 69. He committed 27 unforced errors and converted five of 15 break point opportunities.

Nadal is attempting to win his 10th major title. Swedish great Borg lifted the Roland Garros trophy six times between 1974 and 1981.

Isner came into Roland Garros having won just three matches on red dirt this year. He dropped to a 10-13 match record on the season.