Test passed and with note. Rafael Nadal will be back in the Australian Open round of 16 for the 15th time since he first appeared in 2005. The former world No. 1 and 2009 tournament champion got rid of the Russian Karen Khachanov (World 30) with more ease than he could imagine, even the same when winning 6-3, 6-1, 3-6 and 6-1.
Anyl , who had come through the first two rounds of the tournament without dropping a set, has been ruthless from the first point at stake. The Majorcan tennis player has scored the first set in just 28 minutes and he only gave up one point with his serve who has won white four times. Khachanov, who had lost on the previous seven occasions against Nadal, has once again been overtaken by a rival who did not seem to have been out of the circuit for six months.
Quick on his feet, concentrated, hardly making any mistakes and with great effectiveness in his serve and winning shots, Nadal has set the pace he wanted, against a Khachanov who fought without prize. The Russian has escaped the first game of the second set, after 11 minutes of fighting to avoid it and after saving four ‘break points’. Again it was time to row against the current.
Momento Khachanov
Khachanov he didn’t have his first break point until almost an hour of battle on the Rod Laver Arena, thanks to two great shots, but he didn’t take advantage of them and Nadal He has not given him any more options until he signs up for the sleeve in 59 minutes.
With two sets against, Khachanov he has released his arm, no longer under pressure and, for the first time, he has managed to break the serve Nadal (3-1). An advantage that he has not let slip until he has scored the set, the second that he won in all his previous clashes.
The Russian tennis player could not do much more. in the fourth set Nadal reacted to break the serve Khachanov on two occasions (3-1 and 5-1) with two strokes of his mark. The first one parallel to the run and the second and backhand cross. There was no more the last game he pointed it out in white to celebrate his victory in 2 hours and 54 minutes. His next rival, this Sunday, will be the winner of the match between the Russian Aslan Karatsev (15 worldwide) or the French Adrian Mannarino (69).
