2011 Australian Open: Spaniard Rafael Nadal feels the heat
Currently ranked world number one, Rafael Nadal of Spain is en route to become the first player since Australian legend Rod Laver to hold all four Grand Slam singles titles. Should Nadal clinch the Australian Open Men's singles title this year, he will achieve the feat. Sweating profusely all during his third round match on 22 January, Nadal battled it out against Australia's Bernard Tomic prior to making it through to the fourth round of the 2011 Australian Open.
Rafa got off to a good start initiating the match with a 6-2 win in the first set, followed by a 7-5 win in the second set. The professional then bagged the deciding third set 6-3 to send Tomic home. After his victory, Nadal stated that he was still feeling the effects of the virus that he contracted during the Qatar Open earlier this year.
“I’m more tired than usual and I’m sweating more than usual. I changed my shirt five or six times, and it wasn’t that hot. I lost two and a half kilograms” — about five and a half pounds — “and usually I don’t lose weight in my matches. It must be coming from the illness I had in Doha. Maybe my body’s defenses are still down,” said Nadal.
Although Rafa seemed a bit sluggish during the match, the Spaniard has been performing at par taking into consideration that he has yet to lose a set in the championship so far.
Nadal further added, “When I play and I’m anxious, I’m a player who sweats more. But even when there’s no anxiety here, I’m sweating like crazy. And what concerns me most is that I’m getting tired during practice.”
Presently ranked no. 185 in the World, Nadal stated that Tomic is the kind of player that makes you play bad.
"Well, is good, no? I think is nice to have a young Australian coming well and having very good talent and very good future. So I'm excited to go on court and to try my best tennis, and for sure to try to win. If I play against local heroes, like I played against Lleyton a few years ago, the crowd was fantastic all the time. For sure the support is always with them, but always with very good respect for me."
Nadal will now face Marin Cilic on 24 January in the round of 16.
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