PARIS—Rafael Nadal is the defending champion here at the French Open, although it seems marginally absurd to apply the word “defending” to a player who’s won this title eight times, and is “defending” his way—if it works out like it did all those other times—to a record fifth consecutive triumph.
I’d say Nadal is the “offending” champ, and not just because of the number of times he’s crushed all comers at Roland Garros (coming into today's match, his record at this event was 59-1). Not even because he so often wagged his finger in the mug of Roger Federer in Paris. Nadal is also offensive in another way: Has any comparably able defender been as good at turning the tables and going on the offensive in the course of a given point, or match, or rivalry?
One minute Nadal looks like he’s taking a licking, the next he’s biting another trophy.
But these haven’t been the sunniest of times for Nadal, so it was almost fitting that he opened his tournament on a gloomy, soggy, dank afternoon, when even the fabled Parisian baguettes were about as crispy as a slice of Wonder Bread. His opponent was Robby Ginepri, the surprise winner of the competition for the reciprocal wild card the French give the Americans.
Ginepri is less up-and-coming than down-and-going. He’s struggled with injuries, is 31 years old, and he’s down to No. 279 in the rankings. In better times, he was ranked as high as No. 15 (2005), but he also seemed to be a player of fluctuating inspiration, which may account for the wide swings in his rankings profile.
Ginepri has won three ATP tournaments in his career; Nadal has won 63. The part reserved on the tip sheet for Ginepri’s “highlights” of 2014 is a depressingly big white space, although the advisory does tell us, later, that he was the first man to play at Wimbledon in a sleeveless shirt (2003).
Well, he’s at least got something on Rafa.
You had to feel for Ginepri, who played his way into receiving the wild card by doing well in stateside Challenger tournaments. He learned of his fate while on site, practicing.
“Bit of a downer,” he would say after today’s match. “Midway through practice with Jack Sock, they (friends) were all on the changeover and they were like, ‘The draw is out. Do you want to know who you play?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ They said, ‘Nadal.’ I don't think I made another ball the rest of that practice.”