Rafael Nadal improves to beat Vasek Pospisil - UBITENNIS

Rafael Nadal improves to beat Vasek Pospisil

By Alex Burton
3 Min Read
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Nadal was solid against Vasek Pospisil

Rafael Nadal improved from his sluggish opening match against Di Wu, to dismiss former Wimbledon doubles Champion Vasek Pospisil 7-6, 6-4.

This victory will be a huge source of confidence for Nadal, as he has struggled massively this season on hard courts. Pospisil represents the kind of big-serving player that Nadal typically struggles against, but today the former World No.1 played a solid if unspectacular game.

Nadal was the forcing the early pressure, creating a break point opportunity in the second game. Pospisil though, saved and managed to hold. Nadal then came under a little pressure, forced to hold to thirty and forty as some unforced errors crept in. He faced no break points. Pospisil meanwhile, was finding good consistency with his service, comfortably holding until five-all. Pospisil was then the beneficiary of some errors from Nadal, and had a chance to take the lead, earning a break point, which Nadal saved. Nadal then tried but met a beautifully angled serve on break point that he could only frame wide.

Despite holding through the set, Pospisil was only managing fifty-one percent first serves in play. Nadal took advantage of this in the tie-break, converting after Pospisil missed a backhand. Nadal held all the way, though Pospisil did produce a stunning lob for two-four. It did not change the complexion of the tie-break, but was certainly worthy of the match highlight reel. Nadal served out the tie-break with no fuss, taking the one set advantage.

Nadal threatened to break in the first game of the second set, but had to wait until game five before the Pospisil serve faltered. Nadal’s service stayed strong in the second set, well above seventy percent, and he faced little trouble from the Canadian. The former champion Nadal sealed the match with a forehand winner to advance to the quarter-finals. He faced no break points in the second set.

He will face Pospisil’s doubles partner Jack Sock, who eased past Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-3 6-1. Nadal and Sock met earlier this year at Roland Garros, with Nadal prevailing in that encounter in four sets.

Nadal’s seeded opponent for the semi-finals is David Goffin, who faces the man who beat Nadal at the US Open, Fabio Fognini on Thursday. Pablo Cuevas and Ivo Karlovic complete the bottom half of the draw.

 

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