Top seed Rafael Nadal has cruised into the last 32 of the US Open with after strolling past Canada’s Vasek Pospisil 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
On what was a humid day at Flushing Meadows, the world No.1 dropped serve once during the comprehensive two-hour win over his opponent. During the match, Nadal lost only nine points behind his first serve as he hit 26 winners to 16 unforced errors. The only blip the Spaniard encountered was during the second set when he went behind 2-4, before winning four consecutive games in a row.
“The conditions are tough,” Nadal said after the match. “It was important to start very well with that break. To win in straight sets is always very positive, especially in these conditions. It’s almost midnight, very happy about the victory.”
Perhaps the biggest issue Nadal faced in the second round wasn’t Pospisil, but the shot clock. For the first time at this year’s US Open clocks have been implemented on courts to monitor the time players take between points. During the third set, Nadal was slammed with a time violation for breaching the allotted 25-second time limit. A penalty he argued against by saying his opponent asked him to pause.
“The thing for me was very clear. I was ready to serve, and he (Pospisil) was showing to me me like this (holding up his hand ). He had to breath or he was cramping, I don’t know.” Nadal explained during his press conference.
“Vasek is a great guy. I was just waiting him. Then the umpire said me, Warning. I was very surprised. I went to the umpire saying, ‘Listen, I was waiting because he asked. He asked me to wait.’ She told me, Really? She didn’t realize what was going on.”
“Being honest, I was surprised is that Vasek didn’t come to the umpire and say, That’s what happened.”
Nadal has been a vocal critic of the motion to the use shot clocks in the past. The idea behind them is to help speed up matches. Something at odds with a player like Nadal, who likes to take his time between points. Although he insists that they are ‘no problem’ for him.
“The only thing that in my opinion is good is that the umpires are doing a good job. If they are doing the things the right way, that they wait to put the clock on when the points are so long, is not a problem.” He said.
“The Clock, in my opinion, is just a part of the show. If they make it too strict, I believe, especially under tough conditions, the show is worse because you can’t play a couple points in a row, great rallies, with no time to recover.”
The defending champion will play Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the third round. Khachanov, who is seeded 27th in the draw, eased his way past Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 7-5, 6-3, 6-3.
