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That was painful: Rafael Nadal is bleeding from his nose and needs treatment
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COREY SIPKIN / AFP
Rafael Nadal is through to the third round of the US Open.
That's not too much of a surprise, the 22-time Grand Slam champion is among the big favorites in New York in the absence of Novak Djokovic.
And yet Nadal will be particularly happy after the match against Fabio Fognini, a lot went against the Spaniard.
"It was probably one of my worst starts in a match ever," said Nadal after the 2: 6, 6: 4, 6: 2, 6: 1 win over Italian Fognini.
"It means a lot to me to continue after a game like this." Nadal still has the chance to win his 23rd major title - he was also the first professional to qualify for the ATP Finals in November in Turin.
Against Fognini, who has already beaten the top star four times, Nadal made mistakes after mistakes in the first set.
In the second set, Nadal called a physiotherapist, he apparently had problems with his hand.
Then he gradually found his game, fought his way out of the deep and found his way back to his usual dominance.
When the match seemed to be decided in the middle of the fourth set when Nadal was 3-0, Nadal curiously injured himself: During a backhand hit, the racket hit his nose from the ground.
The bleeding wound had to be treated during a medical break.
From then on, Nadal played with a nasal plaster.
"It's happened to me before with a golf club, but not with a tennis racket," Nadal said afterwards, smiling about his faux pas.
He feels "a little dizzy" and it "hurts a little".
In the third round Nadal meets Richard Gasquet from France.
krä/sid/dpa