Rafael Nadal struggles past Paolo Lorenzi into round of 16 at Internazionali BNL d’Italia
World number 1, King of Clay Rafael Nadal overcame a sluggish start to beat qualifier, Paolo Lorenzi of Italy in three sets 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-0 in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at Foro Italico in Rome on Wednesday.
The Spaniard needed two hours and 37 minutes to oust his opponent in a tough encounter.
Nadal drew the first blood as he broke Lorenzi in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. However, the Italian responded quickly and broke back in the very next game. The set was forced into a tie-break, where Lorenzi claimed the only
mini-break to win it 7-5.
The Italian hit two aces and 68 percent of the first deliveries in the opening set, claiming 75 percent of the points on them. Lorenzi failed to save one of the two break points he faced but succeeded in converting the only break
point opportunity he received in the first set.
Nadal came back strong in the second set and broke Lorenzi in the opening game, going ahead 1-0. But, Lorenzi broke back in the sixth game to level the set at 3-3. At 4-4, Nadal broke again to take the lead and served out the set
at 5-4.
The Spaniard fired 63 percent of the first serves, converting 76 percent of them into points in the second set. The left-handed clinched 35 percent of the points on first returns in the second set. The 24-year-old capitalized on
two of the seven break points opportunities he created on Lorenzi’s serve in the second set.
Nadal was flawless in the final set as he did not allow the Italian to win even a single game, grabbing six consecutive games to win the set 6-0.
The Spaniard’s serve was the main difference between the two players in the deciding set as he delivered 81 percent of the first serves, bagging a whopping 92 percent of the points on them. In comparison, Lorenzo managed to hit
just 55 percent of the first serves, sealing a mere 42 percent of the points on them in the third set.
The top seed said, after the match, "There were tough moments in the match because I felt slow and I felt I was hitting the ball short all the time but still, I finished the match better. I am glad that I won and one very positive
thing is tomorrow I am going to play better for sure because worse is not possible."
He further added, "After losing the final there makes everything more difficult and you know, you do not have time for practise and you are a little bit more tired and you arrive a little bit more sad because you lost the final
and all these facts make it difficult.”
The Spaniard will face his compatriot Feliciano Lopez, ranked 40th in the world, in the third round.
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