For many players, facing Rafael Nadal at his peak on clay came with an unspoken fear - not just of losing, but of losing badly and completely! Steve Johnson knows that feeling all too well.
The former pro shared his experienceof his only duel against the 22-time Major champion. Their lone clash came in Madrid ten years ago and provided a moment that carried as much anxiety as excitement.
Before a ball was struck at Caja Magica, the American's mindset had little to do with pulling off an upset in front of the Spanish crowd. The goal was far simpler - avoid a nightmare scoreline and a possible double bagel!
Nadal's reputation preceded him. He had a habit of overwhelming opponents early, especially on his beloved clay. Thus, he often turned matches into uphill battles before the rivals had time to settle.
Johnson entered the duel bracing for the possibility of a swift and painful lesson. He was aware of how quickly things could spiral once the scoreboard began to tilt. Steve did everything to avoid that against the King of clay.
The American held at love in the first game of the match, which helped him a lot. It proved to a small but crucial victory - a release of tension that allowed him to breathe and compete rather than merely endure.
In the end, Rafa provided a 6-4, 6-3 victory in an hour and 14 minutes. The home favorite served at 83% and dropped only ten points in his games. The legend faced no break points and kept the pressure on the other side.
Steve fought well and defended two of five break points. The American delivered four fine holds in the opening set. However, Nadal grabbed a break at 2-2 and held at love in game ten to clinch the opener 6-4.
They stayed neck and neck in the first six games of the second set. Rafa stepped in at 2-3 and rattled off four games, securing back-to-back breaks and moving over the top in style.
While losing, Johnson achieved a much better result than his pre-match fears.
"I was terrified of losing with a double bagel and leaving the court humiliated. My only goal that day was to avoid a disaster. Luckily, I won the first game, which calmed me down.
Because if you are 4-0 or 5-0 down, and you lose the first set 6-0, panic starts to set in. I was very scared, unlike him. My slice did not really worry him that day," Steve Johnson said.
