In the late night match at the China Open, Rafael Nadal faced Adrian Mannarino for the first time in his illustrious career. The Spaniard came away with a 6-1 7-6(6) victory to progress to the quarterfinals where he will face Grigor Dimitrov in a mouth-watering match.
Nervous Mannarino
Rafael Nadal started in scintillating form. After holding his own serve to love to get the match underway, he then put Mannarino under some pressure. at 30-15, the Spaniard fired his trademark forehand return down the line to bring up a break point opportunity. The very next point went the way of the second seed as he broke. He then went on to consolidate serve to go 3-0 up. In the very next game, the world number four seed.
However, a good serve from the Frenchman denied the Spaniard at the first time of asking before a second break point came around for Nadal. An error from the world number one gave Mannarino the game as he got on the scoreboard for the first time in the match at 3-1. A first double-fault in the match went the way Mannarino at 4-1 30-all to give the world number 4 a double-break point. A big serve from the world number 64 denied the Spaniard at the first time but just two points later the second seed broke again and served it out for the first set, 6-1.
Mannarino fights; sends Nadal to tiebreaker
Following a toilet break at the end of the opening set, Nadal started a little shaky. Unlike the first set, Mannarino found it easier this time around to hold serve as he got the set underway. Nadal was then pushed to deuce four times and eventually survived a 10-minute game as he levelled, 1-1. In the next point, the Spaniard broke after Mannarino double-faulted. The Frenchman started to trouble the second seed and gained his first break point of the match at 30-40.
With his back against the wall, Nadal then produced some spectacular tennis, hitting a forehand passing shot to beat Mannarino and save the break point. With the score at deuce, the 28-year-old came back at Nadal and following a mini rally, Mannarino hit an overhead smash to bring up a second break point in the game.
Once again Nadal got out of trouble after a backhand down the line was missed. An ace from the Spaniard on the next point gave him the game as he went 3-1 up. Just two games later, Mannarino found himself with yet more break points. He attacked the Nadal serve and got his reward as he broke back for 3-3. The Spaniard then fought hard and after an exchange at the net, a break point went his way.
The Frenchman then denied Nadal and went infront at 3-4. In the ninth game, Nadal had a break point saved as Mannarino continued to trouble the 14-time Grand Slam champion. With four games passed a tiebreaker was needed to settle the set or possible match. A first match point came around for Nadal at 6-5 in the breaker but as he had done throughout the set, Mannarino fought and saved the match point. Just a game later, Nadal would get a second match point and this time, he converted and won the match.