Rafael Nadal moves it into the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open
The 24-year old Spaniard Rafael “Rafa” Nadal defeated his compatriot Feliciano Lopez in third round at the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open. Banking on his world ranking of world number one, the Spaniard eased past Lopez in straight sets
6-3, 6-3. It stood to reasons that the lower ranked Lopez would be defeated, the only question being when. The higher ranked Spaniard wrapped up his straight sets victory in one hour and seventeen minutes.
This is Nadal’s eighth appearance at the Miami Masters. He had moved it into the finals at 2005 and 2008, though he failed to clinch a title win having been ousted by Swiss Roger Federer and Nikolay Davydenko of Russia respectively.
In his eighth performance for the event this week, he kicked off the tournament at the second round on Saturday where he got the better of Japanese Kei Nishikori in two straight sets 6-4, 6-4
Competing for the ninth match on courts, the higher ranked Spaniard extended his winning streak to 7-2 in their official head-to-head career. The Spaniard entered one double fault and had acceptable first serves percentage of 60
per cent as opposed to Lopez’s 54 per cent. Nadal had an extraordinary gain on his first serves as he won a perfect 100 per cent points from them. In addition to this he got 40 per cent of breakpoints in return. On the other hand, Lopez sent away 3 aces and
54 per cent of first serves. He obtained 80 per cent of points out of his first serves. Lopez rescued 60 per cent of his break point opportunities in the opening set.
Nadal broke Lopez in the 9th game and carried off the opening set with a 6-3 score line.
In the second set Nadal hit a single ace and converted 83 per cent points out of his 72 per cent first serves. Lopez delivered 4 aces and 39 per cent of his first serves and converted 78 per cent of points from them. Both the Spaniards
couldn’t save any breakpoint opportunity.
Nadal won 100 per cent of breakpoints in return and that handed over the set with a 6-3 score.
With his winning streak in the event so far Nadal looks determined to obtain his fist title of the event. He will face either Alexandr Dolgopolov or Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth.
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