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11/12/09 2:37 AM | Cheryl Murray
Rafael Nadal heads into Thursday’s third-round match in Paris coming off a tough three-hour marathon against Nicolas Almagro in the second round.
Few would have expected Nicolas Almagro to give countryman and world No. 2 Rafael Nadal such a difficult time, but test Nadal he did. In fact, Almagro had a series of five match points (all on his own serve) in the second set that he was unable to convert. Nadal was eventually able to claw his way to victory, helped along by a cramping Almagro late in the third set.
As is the case with most Spanish players, Tommy Robredo does not have a good record against Nadal. The world No. 15 has not managed to beat his higher-ranked countryman in five tries. The two men last played in Shanghai a few weeks ago; Nadal won the match 6-1, 6-4.
The good news for Robredo is that Nadal seems to be struggling with the surface in Paris. The second seed has historically had difficulty with this particular surface. Last year, he made the quarterfinals, where he was forced to retire against Nikolay Davydenko with the same knee problems that kept him from competing in Wimbledon this year.
Despite all of that, Nadal is still the heavy favorite in Thursday’s match. Robredo does not have the sort of fire power that can truly discomfort Nadal.
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much much better frm rafa! getting better and agressive too
vamosrafa , 11/12/09 10:48 PM
Complete this senquence: Q, S, S, S, F...
I've gotta real good feelin' after Novak Djokovic survived match-point purgatory last week to take Basel away from the world No. 1.
Keep this up, Rafalito, and by the end of London you may be back at the top!
VAMOS!!!
gorafago , 11/12/09 11:41 PM
Tommy Robredo
Rafael Nadal
BNP Paribas Masters
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Now that's BETTER tennis !!
smr , 11/12/09 10:17 PM