By Chris Oddo | Wednesday January 16, 2018
It was another sound performance from the 2009 champion Rafael Nadal at Melbourne Park on Wednesday evening. Nadal battled past Leonardo Mayer, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4), to set up a third-round clash with Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur.
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“It’s an important victory for me against a tough opponent,” Nadal said. “Leonardo hits the ball so strong – you just see the last couple of games: I had to hit some great shots in the tiebreak. He’s a very dangerous opponent. For not being in competition in a while, it’s the second victory in a row so that is very good news for me.”
Nadal struck 40 winners against 10 unforced errors and converted three breaks on 12 opportunities. He was only broken once on the evening, when he served for the match at 5-4 in the third set. It took an amazing crosscourt backhand return winner from Mayer to get the job done, but Nadal quickly braced himself to get to the tiebreaker and then took control from there.
“He played a great game, all the returns in, very long, playing so aggressive, hitting all the balls super strong, and having success. I was there, no?” Nadal said of the game when he was broken. “I had small chances. I hold until deuce two times. But that's it. He really went for the game. The opponent always have the chance to play aggressive. If he's right at that moment, then is so difficult to stop. Only thing, I could serve a little bit better. Maybe yes. But I didn't serve worse that game than the rest of the games that I won all the games.”
Nadal improves to 5-0 against Mayer, and 53-11 lifetime at the Australian Open. Last year’s runner-up will look for revenge against Dzumhur for his loss to the Bosnian at Miami in 2016. Nadal was forced to retire down 3-0 in the third set in that match, which was his only lifetime meeting against Dzumhur.
“He is a tough opponent,” Nadal said. “He's a tricky one. He knows how to play tennis very well. He play with the right tactic always. Is a player that don't going to give you nothing, no? The only way to win is play in a high rhythm than him and try to play aggressive, try to put the highest intensity possible out there. That's what I going to try. Hope to be ready to make that happen.”