Good afternoon and welcome to Eurosport's LIVE coverage of the Roland Garros men's singles first round match between Rafael Nadal and Alexei Popyrin. We all know just how dominant Nadal has been on the red clay of Paris over the years. Will this be the start of another title-winning campaign at the French Open?
R. Nadal vs A. Popyrin | Roland-Garros
Men's Singles | Round 1 | 01.06.2021 | Court Philippe-Chatrier
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Completed
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R. Nadal (3)
6
6
77
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A. Popyrin
3
2
63
Live
Live Updates
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Updated 01/06/2021 at 16:49 GMT
- All
- Highlights
17:49
17:47
NADAL 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (3) POPYRIN
Game, set, match! Popyrin can be proud with how he played at times in this match, but Nadal just had too much quality for the young Australian and he marches into the second round of Roland Garros with a straight sets victory!
17:39
NADAL 6-6 POPYRIN (6-3, 6-2)
Into a tie-break we go! Popyrin sensed an opportunity on the Nadal serve at 40-30 there, but couldn't take it and the Spaniard holds for 6-6. The young Australian has to go for it in the breaker!
17:33
*NADAL 5-6 POPYRIN (6-3, 6-2)
What an effort from Popyrin to hold there! He faced no fewer than FOUR break points and saved every single one! Bit scrappy at times, his thought process was slightly muddled, but you can't question the Australian's fight!
17:25
NADAL 5-5 POPYRIN* (6-3, 6-2)
Nadal has certainly raised his level over the last few games. Popyrin needs to regroup as he did for the start of this set otherwise this set could get away from him like the first one did after a good start.
17:19
*NADAL 4-5 POPYRIN (6-3, 6-2)
Ah, that's a shame! Popyrin had a set point there, but lost his focus and his range. Nadal breaks back as the Australian gets a wild in some of his shot-selection. There was a double fault in there as well.
17:13
17:12
NADAL 3-5 POPYRIN* (6-3, 6-2)
Nadal does his job by serving to stay in this third set, clinching game point with a wonderful winner down the line from the baseline. Can Popyrin serve this set out? Let's see...
17:08
*NADAL 2-5 POPYRIN (6-3, 6-2)
This has got interesting all-of-a-sudden. Popyrin has now won 13 points in a row on serve as he holds to love and now Nadal must serve to stay in this third set!
17:06
NADAL 2-4 POPYRIN* (6-3, 6-2)
Popyrin breaks! The young Australian roars as Nadal sends a backhand well wide and that is his reward for regrouping towards the end of the second set and carrying it into this set.
17:03
*NADAL 2-3 POPYRIN (6-3, 6-2)
And another quick game. A love hold for Popyrin. Can he keep this up for an entire set? Keep in mind he was in this groove at the start of the first set, but lost his focus at the business end.
16:51
*NADAL 2-2 POPYRIN (6-3, 6-2)
Four quick games at the start of the third set as Popyrin holds to love. Some good serving from the young Australian who looks much more competitive in this set than the second one.
16:49
NADAL 1-1 POPYRIN* (6-3, 6-2)
A love hold for Nadal. Only his second of the match. A couple trademark forehand winners from the Spaniard there. That has to be one of the most iconic shots in tennis history.
16:45
*NADAL 0-1 POPYRIN (6-3, 6-2)
A good hold at the start of the third set for Popyrin. The young Australian has a monumental task on his hands to turn this one around, but he has at least shown some good match intelligent in the last few games. Can he build on that?
16:39
NADAL 6-2 POPYRIN (6-3)
Popyrin had a real chance to pass Nadal at 15-30. That would have brought up two break points, but he found the net and the Spaniard won the next three points. Two sets to the good.
16:37
*NADAL 5-2 POPYRIN (6-3)
A love hold for Popyrin who looks to have actually found some flow at the end of this second set, but this struggles at the start of the set mean this is a foregone conclusion. Nadal to serve for a two sets lead.
16:35
NADAL 5-1 POPYRIN* (6-3)
The 13-times Roland Garros winner moves within a game of taking this second set with a service game hold to love. Ace out wide on game point. Pressure now on Popyrin to serve to stay in this.
16:27
*NADAL 4-1 POPYRIN (6-3)
A bit more clarity of thought from Popyrin as he starts to come to the net a bit more to shorten the points. That works well as he holds comfortably for the first time in this second set.
16:27
Lovely day in Paris!
16:26
NADAL 4-0 POPYRIN* (6-3)
A quick consolidation from Nadal and it's 4-0 in this second set. Popyrin starting to look out of his depth. Which is understandable given who he's playing and where he's playing him.