Isner giant forced the world number one and kept him four hours to track. In the second round will face Pablo Andujar
Nadal was on the ropes, but eventually re-emerged to defeat the giant of Greensboro (North Carolina) 2.06 meters after four hours and one minute, to beat him 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-7 ( 2), 6-2, 6-4 in the third match point, and reach the second round of more suffering than he can remember.
After winning the last point, "Rafa" exploded and shouted loudly to remove all the pressure of a match you have ever dreamed and that was a nightmare for him. Tension was so vivid, that it is even spread to his uncle and coach Toni, mostly unchanged, that from the stands shouted incessantly, "go, go!" with closed fists.
"It was very difficult if it has been a very tough opponent, and his serve is almost unstoppable," said Nadal on track, "he has had a great game and I wish best for the rest of the session, "he said on Isner.
"It was a very close game with a lot of pressure, and in the playoffs was very nervous," acknowledged Nadal, "but this victory is very important to me. This tournament is always very important for all players, but especially for me because unforgettable moments I have of him, "he continued.
"I prefer winning in three sets," Nadal said, "but be positive and maybe this game I can serve for the future. "
Never a Roland Garros champion has dropped the following year in his debut in Paris. Nadal, who never had been forced into this ambush, he was about to become the first, but as happened in the 2005 Rome final, against Argentina's Guillermo Coria, or in the same tournament round in 2008, against Roger Federer managed to win the encounter by squeezing the most of your physical.
A Isner always be remembered as the player who along with Frenchman Nicolas Mahut starred in the longest game in history, at Wimbledon, between 22 and 24 June last year, in time (11 hours and 5 minutes) and games played (183): 6-4 , 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3) and 70-68.
He pulled the U.S. even at 232 mph, used soft left to fend to Nadal in the baseline, and broke overwhelmed in the network, extending his arms like an albatross makes its wings, to place their volleys.
Nadal was dominating set and a half, with rupture included in the second set, and with the French crowd cheering, roaring its flaws, as is customary in recent years. In the two tiebreakers was just nervous and although Isner had 13 aces, American's serve bothered too much.
But in the end, Isner finished taking salt tablets to prevent dehydration, demolished so tired, and broken by the rampart Nadal represents the earth, and his record in games long haul to five sets, of which has already won 15 and lost only three in his career.
However, the Spanish game show fluctuations, characteristic of the first round, but someone of his level. He committed 27 unforced errors and his backhand, always resolving failed him too much. His face contorted at times, exhibited by the instability seems to be happening after losing this year four final against Serbian Novak Djokovic, two of them in the land of Madrid and Rome.