Would Rafael Nadal have been as merciless as he was today against Marcos Daniel if the two had met in the first round of, say, Sopot? Would Daniel, who retired with a left knee injury after 11 game losses, have even suited up?
Today's 6-0, 5-0 shortened shutout may have been one of the least competitive matches at a major I've ever witnessed. But it still managed to prove, once again, that the players play for the Slams. Rafa knows the formula by now—get through the early rounds with as little wear as possible. He did just that, refusing to play down to the level of his overmatched opponent. Look for a similar performance in his next match, which will be against either Ryan Sweeting or Daniel Gimeno-Traver.
As for Daniel, who won just four points in the first set (one courtesy of a Nadal double-fault), the guy may have very well been unfit to play. Regardless, the opportunity is too much to pass up (not to mention the sizable first-round prize money). One match can change a career, and the Slams give the lower tier a rare chance to face off with the upper crust. It didn't work out for Daniel today, but he'll be back, grinding for the rest of the season, trying to make the next field of 128.
—Ed McGrogan