ATP/WTA: Point against the King of Clay: “MaSha” pours Rafa

At the training ground in Rome Maria Sharapova was allowed to beat Rafael Nadal – and did very well.

When even the stars of the scene get nervous… Maria Sharapova should not be shocked when dealing with her peers – as the former world number one and five-time major winner. But a meeting with Rafael Nadal on his favourite surface is obviously an exception.

“Two minutes on the square with the GOAT. I was so nervous,” Sharapova wrote under the Twitter video of a short training interlude with Nadal. And “MaSha”, who has won two times in Paris, was even successful against ten times Roland-Garros-Champ…

Will the points won have a positive effect on the 31-year-olds’ self-confidence? We’ll see today: In the second match after 11 am Sharapova meets Ashleigh Barty at her first appearance in Rome.

Sharapova should have good memories of the “eternal city”: in 2011, 2012 and 2015 she won the Foro Italico.

The Women’s Individual Draw in Rome