My notes from the 3rd set of an absolute nervewracker between Dennis Shapovalov and Rafael Nadal in Rome:
Shapo straight points 1st game
Nadal ties it, after Shapo almost rallies down 40 love
Bad put aways put Shapo in trouble down 15-30, serve bails him out goes up 2-1 with a nice put away.
Shapo earns first break point off aggressive returning grabbing advantage in rallies. Gets it after long ball from Nadal after very last second fault on 1st serve 3-1.
Stumbles to go down love 30 in service game, Nadal beauty shotmaking earns him 2 points breaking back 3-2
Nadal ties it 3-3 with quick service game
Ace from Shapo saves him back against the wall down 30-40, and another to finish the deuce 4-3
Another quick service game (40-15) from Nadal squares it 4-4
Nadal struggles with 2nd serve for Shapo to go up 5-4, in otherwise very tight dueced game.
Nadal ties it 5-5, again much quicker than the Shapo service games this point in the match
Back against the wall after Bad double fault Shapo forces a deuce brilliantly with smart hard safe shotmaking. ANOTHER double fault forces him to be perfect in tough rally and find brilliant forehand. Shapo finally has advantage on 4th deuce takes it with an ACE after surviving 4 break points. Up 6-5
Shapo can’t get first match point after Nadal locks him in in a forehand vs backhand rally, earns a second in deuce beating a volley attempt by Nadal. Fumbles it, forced unforced error. Nadal misses a shot to close the game on advantage. Does so on the next found a strong serve right at the end.
Tiebreak: first non serve point goes to Nadal off double fault from Shapo, Shapo fumbles another, Nadal up 4-1. Gets first point back, off Nadal missing wide on bold attempt, Nadal makes no mistakes on next point strong forehand off hard serve. Shapo misses wide when trying to for one of his typical brilliant shot makes. Nadal takes the match on his serve
Ultimately Nadal able to stay more consistent at high level of play, less misses and applied more pressure in second half of set which bore fruit at the end. Great play by Shapo throughout with shotmaking, serving, but timely double faults, and inability to widen the gaps he fights to earn like being up 3-1 or his two match points costs him the win.