Rafael Nadal has conquered the French Open 10 times and battled career-threatening knee and wrist injuries, but his greatest challenge awaits him — telling rowdy New Yorkers to be quiet
Spain's Rafael Nadal. Pic/AFP
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Rafael Nadal has conquered the French Open 10 times and battled career-threatening knee and wrist injuries, but his greatest challenge awaits him — telling rowdy New Yorkers to be quiet.
Rain affects play
The World No. 1 registered a 7-6 (8/6), 6-2, 6-2 win over Serbia's Dusan Lajovic. But with rain lashing the Flushing Meadows site, the roof on the Arthur Ashe stadium was shut, creating a giant echo-chamber for the boisterous crowd. "Being honest, it (the noise) is a little bit too much," said the Spaniard.
"The energy and support of the crowd is massive. I enjoy it and I have unforgettable memories from this tournament. But under the roof, it's too much noise. I was not able to hear the ball when hitting. I understand it's a show, but under the roof we need to be a little bit more strict about the noise. All the noise stays inside."
Nadal flummoxed
Meanwhile, Nadal said he was flummoxed by Andy Murray's decision to withdraw from the US Open. "You don't retire on Saturday morning. You retire Monday morning or Sunday afternoon. If not, you can do it before the draw. That's why I say it's strange," he added.
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