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Rafael Nadal has risen back to the top of the world rankings for the first time in over two years and he will be looking for an easy progression in the first round of the US Open when he takes on Dusan Lajovic. Join The Roar for live scores from around 4:30am (AEST).
Nadal has had a stunning season. Runner-up in Australia, won without losing a set at Wimbledon and dropped two set in 27 matches on clay. It unravelled slightly at Wimbledon when he was bounced out in a five-set epic against Gilles Muller, but it’s been an incredible season which has seen him return to the No.1 ranking.
Taking almost a month off after Wimbledon was entirely necessary for the 31-year-old to try and hang onto fitness and form, but he hasn’t been himself since returning to the court.
A second round exit in Montreal to Denis Shapovalov set the ball rolling. He looked to be playing better in Cincinnati with wins over Richard Gasquet and Albert Ramos-Vinolas, but it all came tumbling down again when Nick Kyrgios blasted his way past in straight sets.
Nadal’s form might be poor, but we all know exactly what he is capable on the big stage, and a first round match isn’t where you’d expect to see him falter.
Lajovic’s form hasn’t exactly been much to write home about either. The Serbian exited Wimbledon in the second round at the hands of Nadal’s likely US Open semi-final opponent, Roger Federer and has since spent most of his time at clay court challengers.
While wins under the belt is always important, it does absolutely nothing to prepare you for the US Open and the world No.84 found that out the hard way when he was thrown out in qualifying at Cincinnati, then fell in the second round at Winston-Salem.
Put simply, he won’t have the power, the defence or attacking weapons to contend with Nadal, who will look to get on and off court quickly. He will try to deploy his forehands down either wing and run backhands up the line like they are going out of style in an attempt to crush Lajovic as fast as possible.
The pair have only met once previously, back in the 2014 French Open with Nadal winning that match, as he does most times at Roland Garros, in straight sets.
Prediction
Nadal might be struggling for form, but he will have no problems marching all over Lajovic into the second round.
Nadal in straight sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of this first round match from around 4:30am (AEST) or at the completion of Naomi Osaka versus Angelique Kerber at Arthur Ashe Stadium and don’t forget to add a comment below.