Rafael Nadal has issued a stark warning to his rivals at the US Open draw with a clinical 6-2, 6-4, 6-1, win over Alexandr Dolgopolov in the fourth round.
Concerns about the No.1 circulated over the past week following a duo of lacklustre performances at Flushing Meadows. Judging on previous history, Nadal seemed almost certain to be tested once again by Dolgopolov. Two out of their three most recent encounters were won by Dolgopolov, whose unorthodox shot-making makes him stand out. In reality, it was a one-way show from the Spaniard, who produced 23 winners and won 81% of his service points.
“I think I played a solid match.” Nadal said following his win. “I know Dolgopolov is a player that can play amazing shots, but at the same time is a little bit unpredictable. So he combined amazing points with mistakes, so I tried to be very focused all the time with my serve and wait for the opportunities on the return.”
Taking to the Arthur Ashe court just after midday, the top seed inserted his dominance from the onset. Hitting 9 winners and winning 70% of service points during the opening set. Dolgopolov tried to get some momentum in his favour, but failed to convert a duo of break points in the sixth game of the match. Meanwhile, Nadal’s dismantling of his opponent’s serve was straightforward. A Dolgopolov double fault followed by a forehand error secured Nadal his first break. Three games later he broke once again to lead 5-2 on route to clinching the opening set after 33 minutes of play.
The positive start to the match was a relief to the Spaniard’s team. In his two previous matches Nadal dropped the opening set against Taro Daniel and Leonardo Mayer. Avoiding the mistake for the third time, Nadal appeared calm and collective under the New York sun. Even when Dolgopolov matched him game-by-game during set number two, he had all the answers. With the world No.65 serving at 4-4, Nadal’s relentless defensive play worn down Dolgopolov, who slammed a backhand into the net to move the world No.1 to 5-4. Nadal then sealed the 6-2, 6-4, lead with the help of a love service game, which concluded with an ace out wide.
Nadal’s dominance proved to much for his opponent, who was playing in the last 16 of the tournament for the first time since 2011. Dolgopolov appeared contempt on the court that a loss was inevitable. Glimmers of his talent brought the occasional smile to the crowd, but it had little impact on Nadal’s supremacy.
Cruising towards the finish line, four match points came and went for Nadal. It was fifth time a charm for the 31-year-old when Dolgopolov backhand slammed into the net. His 39th unforced error of the match.
“I tried not to let him play from the easy positions. I probably hit more towards his forehand because he was returning with a slice.” Nadal said about his tactics used against Dolgopolov. “I felt that if I hit a forehand down the line , he would have less space to attack. If I play against his backhand, he has a great cross-court backhand.”
Praise for Moya
As a result of his win, Nadal has reached at least the quarter-finals of three grand slams this season. An achievement he hasn’t accomplished since 2011. This year he has already won a quartet of titles on the clay, including a record 10th French Open.
“The season has been very positive. Quarter-finals here in New York, that’s a positive result for me and I am looking forward to keep playing better.”
Now three wins away from claiming his first hard-court title of any sort since 2014, Nadal has praised Carlos Moya. Who joined his team at the start of the year.
“He is a good help for all of us. It’s great to have him on the team. He’s more than a coach, he is one of the best friends I ever had on the tour.” Said Nadal.
“I think he came with a lot of motivation, good ideas and he is very positive all the time.”
Nadal is bidding to win his 16th major title in New York.
