Rafael Nadal eases past Matthew Ebden into the thirdround – AEGON Championships 2011
World number 1 Rafael Nadal of Spain started his grass court season in style as he cruised past world number 168 Matthew Ebden of Australia in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 in the second round of AEGON Championships at the Queen’s Club in London on Wednesday.
The Spaniard needed just an hour and fourteen minutes to beat his opponent in a one-sided match.
Nadal took the lead from the start of the match as he broke the Australian in the opening game of the first set and held his serve in the next game to take a 2-0 lead. The rest of the set went with serve, with Nadal serving out the match at 5-4.
The Spaniard was able to hit two aces and 63 percent of the first serves, claiming 82 percent of the points on them in the first set. In comparison, Ebden served better as he fired five aces and 67 percent of the first serves, grabbing 83 percent of the
points on them. The difference between both players was the second serve as Nadal won 60 percent of the second service points compared to just 33 percent by the Australian. Nadal utilised the only break point opportunity he created on the 23-year-old’s serve
in the opening set.
The proceedings in the second set were not much different from the first set as Nadal broke his opponent in the first game and did not allow the right-handed to break back throughout the set. Although, unlike the opening set, Nadal faced a break point at
30-40 in the sixth game but the Spaniard punched away a volley to take the score to Deuce and won next two points to hold his serve. The Spaniard held his serve convincingly in the tenth game to win the set 6-4.
Playing his first match of the grass court season, Nadal improved his serve in the second set, hitting four aces and 61 percent of the first serves. The Spaniard bagged 79 percent of the first service points in the second set. The left-handed saved the only
break point he faced on his own serve and converted one of the two break points on Ebden’s serve in the second set.
Nadal had a rest of just two days after the winning his record equalling sixth title at the French Open. Talking to the reporters after the match, Rafa said, “The energy is not in perfect conditions right now, but I'm here to try my best, as usual. That
helps me, I hope, because I'm here because I love this tournament. It's one of the most beautiful of the world, I think, the centre court.”
The Spaniard added, “But at the same time it works for me to try to start to have the feelings on grass. Sure, my conditions are not perfect because I feel everything like a little bit more tighter than usual.”
The top seed will take on former top ten Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic in the round of 16.
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