The weather gods are conspiring against Rafael Nadal’s hopes of winning a record-breaking eighth French Open title.
Thursday’s rain at Roland Garros left the Spaniard kicking his heels in the locker room and he now faces the prospect of winning six matches in 10 days if he is to retain his title.
Fierce rival and top seed Novak Djokovic got lucky and thrashed Guido Pella in the second round between the showers on Thursday but Nadal, who faces Slovakia’s Martin Klizan, has not played for four days.
It is not ideal, especially as Italy’s dangerous claycourter Fabio Fognini is already through and waiting for defending champion Nadal having had an extra day’s rest.
Klizan, who just missed out on being seeded, is a tall, powerful left-hander and an unknown quantity for Nadal who has never faced him before.
It should be a formality, but Germany’s Daniel Brands proved on Monday that Nadal can be vulnerable before he starts firing on all cylinders at Roland Garros.
