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Nadal approaches Nadal

2022-01-23T14:56:38.007Z


The Spaniard overcomes Mannarino's challenge in the first set, defined in a lengthy 28-minute tiebreaker: 7-6(14), 6-2, 6-2. In quarters, Shapovalov


The dispute will be remembered for the 28 minutes, 40 seconds and 30 points that the

tie-break

frenzy lasted .

In that terminal territory, Rafael Nadal stirred as usual, enlarging himself and cutting off the hopes of an opponent who put everything on the table.

Tennis with Adrian Mannarino was not appreciated.

The French challenged and crashed, and the Spanish (7-6(14), 6-2 and 6-2, in 2h 40m) is already among the top eight of this Australian Open and is only three steps away from undoing the historic draw with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, both absent.

Day by day, Nadal is more Nadal.

Strengthened, the 2009 champion will find himself at the next stop with Canadian Denis Shapovalov, left-footed and imaginative, sharp and dangerous;

executioner this Sunday of Alexander Zverev (6-3, 7-6 (5) and 6-3).

More information

Nadal: finally, happiness

“He has incredible intensity and punch.

When he plays well, it's hard to stop him.

If he is able to play regularly like this, he is a potential Grand Slam winner”, X-rayed the Canadian, whom he has faced five times (3-2).

“I have put a little more than I am used to lately, at the level of impacts and saving balls.

He [Mannarino] has the ability to make you play uncomfortable, but I've held up mentally well.

I have fought to the end.

When I have resolved the

tie-break

, I have won half a match.

I am very happy to be where I am”, he pointed out about this last victory, suffered first and savored later.

Built on a clear turning point.

Although the background invited an optimistic forecast, Nadal jumped on the track on alert. Mannarino, a genuine product of the French school, all neatness and all academicism, had dropped in the previous rounds two daggers like Hubert Hurkacz (seeded) and Aslan Karatsev (semi-finalist last year). The record of the Frenchman (33 years old, 69th in the ATP, left-handed) does not reflect notable successes – he has only one title, that of s-Hertogenbosch in 2019 – but he has plenty of trade and plays tennis like angels. This Sunday he raised a bare-chested duel, without mediocrities or greys. But smart. He played without complexes, and the dynamite lasted exactly an hour and a half, which took a very even first set, defined in the details, to resolve. That's where the game broke down. That's where Nadal killed him.

Delivering in the crucial moments.



You can always count on @rafaelnadal 😯@Kia_Worldwide #Kia #MovementThatInspires@wwos @espn @Eurosport @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/kNyxwGO8ST

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2022

Mannarino exploited the open serve, cut, exploring angles and forcing the Spaniard to return very close to the limits of the sides at times. The 35-year-old 20-major champion was uncomfortable throughout the first set, without calm, stuck with the

drive

and sustained mainly by the service. Neither one nor the other yielded, in that sense; three points conceded the French with the first (18/21), two the Mallorcan (25/27). And overall, the same score: 47-47. What has been said: a beautiful game of fine balances that was decided in the form of a final fireworks, with an intense and well seasoned

tie-break

, full of alternatives and several beautiful points. In any case, Nadal tends to resize himself in that limit zone. And so he did it again.

The more he tightens the rope, the better the response of the Balearic Islands, who started in tow (3-0) and was filing (4-4) until he had three balls (6-4, 6-5 and 7-6) to win the sleeve, after a crossed wrist that made the great Rod Laver smile.

did not hit

The French, resilient and brave, did not leave him.

He had already compromised him before reaching the tiebreaker – with 5-5, he had a 15-30 in his favor – and he repeated.

He counterattacked, put a ball on the line to seal the most applauded exchange of the afternoon and enjoyed four chances to decide the partial, but he was naive - Nadal entangled him with insistent cut shots and entered the rag - and chose poorly in a volley too clear to point.

He ruled out the parallel, crossed and was caught by the one from Manacor.

More information

Badosa falls into the clutches of Keys

"His service is very difficult to read and return," said Nadal, present for the 45th time in the rooms of a great.

“He had an

impressive

feeling

with the ball, he hit it in the right place every time.

It practically did not let me breathe, ”he continued in the analysis;

“I managed to slow down the game a bit and I survived the first set.

I have finally found the reward.

It is a triumph that has value, to be very satisfied”.

At the moment of truth, the Spanish burst the rival.

He hit the seventh attempt and the rest of the fight was very pleasant for him.

Everything under control, more shooting, 16

aces

.

Good feelings to the pocket.

Touched in the groin, Mannarino gave himself up and opened the door, without spark and attended by the doctor.

On the other hand, very reinforced, Nadal took the opportunity to polish his natural stroke —he closed with 42 winners— and to consolidate the automatisms, collecting stimuli for the commitment of the rooms.

From less to more, he recognizes himself, his body responds and flies over the decisive space of the tournament.

He is just three steps away from his 21st

major

.

And don't forget: "A month and a half ago, I didn't know if I could continue playing tennis."

Carreño rebukes, but not enough

Nadal is left alone. The Balearic is once again the only option for Spanish tennis, given that Paula Badosa fell to Madison Keys at dawn (6-3 and 6-1, in 1h 09m) and at the end of the day Pablo Carreño said goodbye, surpassed by the Italian Matteo Berrettini: 7-5, 7-6(4) and 6-4, after 2h 22m. The Asturian (21st in the world) found himself facing an opponent who was getting stronger as the days went by and could only have a

break

option , precisely in the game that sealed the first set. He refuted him, but from there, the Roman (seven in the ATP) decided on the details. And, among them, one not less: he recorded 28 aces and 87% of the points with first.

On Tuesday, Berrettini will face the veteran Gael Monfils, who at 35 years old returns to a quarter-final;

the last time he landed in the penultimate round of a Grand Slam was three years ago, at the 2019 US Open. The Frenchman (7-5, 7-6(4) and 6-3 to Miomir Kecmanovic) progresses without giving up any set.

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Source: elparis

All sports articles on 2022-01-23

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