By Ricky Dimon
Rafael Nadal and Sebastian Korda practiced collectively on the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday afternoon.
It in all probability gained’t occur once more.
That’s to not say it wasn’t a productive session. Relatively, when the draw ceremony was held afterward Tuesday it arrange a second-round showdown between Nadal and Korda if the 21-year-old American wins his opening match in opposition to a qualifier.
It might be the second head-to-head assembly between the 2 opponents. They beforehand confronted one another on the 2020 French Open, the place Nadal rolled to a 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 fourth-round victory. It was then that the tennis world realized of Korda’s idolization of the Spaniard.
“He’s my largest idol,” Korda mentioned following that loss at Roland Garros. “He’s one of many causes I play tennis. Simply watching him play, [he is an] unbelievable competitor. Simply from him I’ve the never-give-up mentality. At any time when I’m on court docket, I attempt to be like him. Rising up, I named my cat Rafa after him. That claims lots about how a lot I like the man.”
Nadal has had good issues to say about Korda, as properly.
“[His game has a] good bodily look, good serve, good pictures from the baseline,” the 21-time Grand Slam champion assessed. “I believe he’s an awesome man, (and a) full participant. He has quite a lot of issues to do within the subsequent years in our sport.
“I believe I all the time believed since I noticed him play that he’s going to have the possibility to be probably the greatest gamers of the world. Let’s see. It’s all the time the identical. I believe he has all of the issues that he must undoubtedly be a prime man. After all, issues aren’t straightforward and you could preserve bettering. However I undoubtedly imagine, when you ask me, he (is) going to be an awesome one.”
No person has been higher than Nadal in 2022. The 35-year-old is off to a 15-0 begin, with titles at an ATP 250 in Melbourne, the Australian Open, and the current 500-point occasion in Acapulco. Now he’s bidding for a fourth triumph in Indian Wells, having beforehand lifted the trophy in 2007, 2009, and 2013.
If Nadal will get previous both Korda or a qualifier, his street by means of the second quarter of he draw may additionally embrace Dan Evans within the third spherical, Denis Shapovalov within the fourth, and both Casper Ruud or Jannik Sinner within the quarterfinals. World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev is a possible semifinal opponent.
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and likewise maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You’ll be able to observe him on twitter at @Dimonator.
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