Onto Rome now. Bigger test here with Rafa and Djokovic in the draw, well as long as Djokovic doesn’t assassinate another line judge.
Rafa purring tonight against US Open semi-finalist Carreno-Busta.
Tsitsipas and Wawrinka dumped out today so it looks set for a Nadal Djokovic final now.
Hurkacz drop shots are killing poor Rublev.
Nadal beaten in Rome on the dirt
Nadal going out was a big shock. He looked very sharp in the two matches before.
A danger of him being undercooked for RG now.
It’s also worth noting that Nadal’s optimum clay condition is the dry and warmer weather, RG taking place in late Sep might be a problem for him with the conditions.
Brilliant draw for Djokovic, avoids Thiem.
Murray v Stan the Man in the 1st round, two 3x slam winners facing off.
Cilic v Thiem also, two US Open slam winners facing off.
Wonderkid Jannik Sinner dumps no 11 seed David Goffin out in straight sets.
Murray wearing a pair of tights up against Stan The Man here
Medvedev crashes out in the first round, I don’t think he was going to be a real threat on clay but it certainly makes Djokovic’s side of the draw much easier.
Djokovic will be a big favourite now with Medvedev gone and Tsitsipas on the verge of going 2 sets down.
His two toughest opponents on his side of the draw both being dumped out in the first round.
Tsitsipas is some fanny.
Rublev comes from 2 sets down to win.
Tsitsipas through in 5 sets.
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He’s still a fanny.
The next gen are getting fairly embroiled in five setters.
Rublev and Tsitsipas came through 5 setters in R1.
Zverev came through one yesterday.
Shapovalov looks set to push a final set decider now.
Thiem and Wawrinka should be a cracking R4 tie.
Nadal and Djokovic look to have fairly clearcut route to the QF, Nadal will have Travaglia in R3 and a qualifier in R4.
Djokovic has Berankis today in R2, Sandgren/Galan in R3 and likely Garin/Khachanov in R4.
Thiem grinds out the first set with Ruud in an hour. He is struggling here and was outplayed for a lot of it but came through on the big points.
He doesn’t want to get caught up in a 5 hour 5 setter here as Wawrinka will be a tough competitor in the next round.
Stan The Man looks in danger of being dumped out by some no mark. 2 sets to 1 down.
Rafa takes the first set in 23 minutes.
Crikey.
He’s probably had games longer than that.
Stan The Man is out.
Bageled in the final set.
A shame as him and Thiem would have been a good game.
Nadal well on course here, 3-0 up in the final set.
In the third set 