French Open 2017 Men's Final: Early Predictions for Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon
No player has ever had the kind of success at any major tournament the way Rafael Nadal has at the French Open.
From the moment he stepped on the court Sunday at Roland Garros and played his first few points, it seemed inevitable that he would pick up his 10th French Open title at the expense of Stan Wawrinka. Nadal delivered on that inevitability and turned it into a reality with a dominating 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 victory.
Wawrinka had earned his spot in the championship round with a five-set victory over Andy Murray, and the 2015 French Open titleholder had confidence after beating the top-ranked player in the world. However, he could offer very little resistance to Nadal.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
The Spaniard did not lose a set during the two weeks of competition in Paris. In the win over Wawrinka, Nadal dominated in all measurable areas. He won 35 of 42 points when he connected on his first serve, and he also won 15 of 23 points on his second serve.
Nadal had 13 break-point opportunities and he won six of those points. Wawrinka did not convert his one opportunity to break Nadal.
After the match, Nadal expressed his joy at playing in Paris and how much the tournament means to him. "It is the most special event of my career, without a doubt," Nadal said after the match in remarks that were broadcast by NBC.
The champion's ability to finish points with artistic winners has been part of his signature at the French Open. He had 27 winners and just 12 unforced errors, while Wawrinka had 19 winners and 29 unforced errors.
In addition to his 10 French Open titles, Nadal has won 15 Grand Slam titles in his career. This year's title is his first Grand Slam triumph in three years.
Two of this year's four Grand Slam tournaments are in the books, with Roger Federer winning the Australian Open and Nadal taking the French.
The next event on the calendar is Wimbledon, and the British tournament has long been considered the most valuable of the four Grand Slam events, ranking just ahead of the U.S. Open.
Nadal will go into the tournament off a sensational performance in Paris, but it will be challenging to carry any momentum from the red clay of Paris to the grass of Wimbledon.
The speed on grass will require a different type of game than the slow-down game that is featured on the clay surface. Nadal is certainly capable of playing well at Wimbledon and has won it twice, but it will almost certainly be much more of a struggle.
If Nadal is going to win at Wimbledon, he will have to overcome Murray, Federer, Wawrinka, Novak Djokovic and Milos Raonic.
Wimbledon is scheduled to start July 3 and runs through July 16. With about three weeks to go before the tournament commences, Murray is the 11-4 favorite to win the event, according to Oddschecker.
Federer is the second choice at 3-1, followed by Djokovic at 9-2. Nadal is a 12-1 shot to win Wimbledon, while Raonic is 13-1.
The odds on Nadal may represent a sensational opportunity for handicappers to capitalize on Nadal's skill. The perception is that he does not play as well on grass as he does on clay, and that is historically true.
However, Nadal went through the French Open playing nearly perfect tennis, and that could help his preparations for Wimbledon.
Nadal won the Wimbledon title in 2008 and 2010, and he is playing well enough to win there again even though it is not his favorite surface.
The tennis world is looking forward to potential matchups involving Nadal, Murray, Federer and Djokovic, and this could be the most exciting Grand Slam event in several years.
Prediction
Nadal will play quite well at Wimbledon and should advance to the semifinal round. If he meets Federer in that round, it will be a classic match and perhaps the most memorable one of the year.
We see Federer gaining quite a bit from sitting out the French Open. He will be strong enough to overcome his esteemed rival and defeat him at Wimbledon.
Nadal will not win his third Wimbledon title.
All French Open match statistics courtesy of RolandGarros.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
