TENNIS RIO DE JANEIRO – Rafael Nadal got through to the quarter finals with his 7-5 6-3 win over Pablo Carreno Busta and continues his title defence at the Rio Open ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro. Diego Sampaolo
Carreno Busta got the first break in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Nadal broke straight back to draw level to 3-3 before earning three set points at 5-4 but Carreno Busta fended off all of them to draw level to 5-5. Carreno Busta served in the 12th game to stay in the set but Nadal got his second break of serve on the set point to wrap up the first set with 7-5.
Nadal fought off two break points before converting on his only break point chance in the seventh game for 4-3 before wrapping up the second set with 6-3 after two hours and one minute.
Nadal set up a quarter final against last week’s Sao Paulo champion Pablo Cuevas who confirmed his recent good period of form with a 6-2 6-2 win over Albert Montanes. It will be the first head-to-head match between Nadal and Cuevas.
Italian Fabio Fognini book his berth in the quarter final with a 6-3 6-2 win over Pablo Andujar. Fognini faced three break points at 1-2 in the first set but he saved them to draw level to 2-all. Fognini converted on his break point chance in the fifth game to take the 3-2 lead. Fognini played his best game and clinched his second break for 6-3 when Andujar served to stay in the set.
Andujar dropped his serve when he was down 0-1 on the second break point. Fognini went up 40-15 in the fifth game but Andujar drew level to force the game to deuce. Fognini finally won the game to pull away to 4-1 before sealing the win with another break of serve.
Fognini fought off five of the six break points he faced before dropping serve as he was serving for the match. Fognini broke straight back to seal the win in one hour and 11 minutes to set up a quarter final match against Federico Delbonis who converted six of his 13 break points in his 6-2 6-1 win over Martin Klizan
