Nadal repels Khachanov to reach last-16 in Melbourne

Melbourne, Jan. 21 (BNA): Sixth seed Rafa Nadal lost his first set at the Australian Open this year, but he still qualified for the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Karen Khachanov on Friday. .

The Spaniard, who sought to win his 21st Grand Slam title in the absence of big rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, was thrilled as he advanced by two sets, Reuters reported.

But Khachanov, the 28th seed, warned of the wind in the third set, stopping Nadal’s charge with some ferocious blows.

Olympic runner-up Khachanov had lost all seven of his previous encounters with 2009 Australian Open champion Nadal, but briefly looked fit for a comeback.

Nadal regained control with a break at the start of the fourth game, and by the time past midnight at Rod Laver Arena, he hurriedly finished it off.

Nadal, who has reached the last 16 in Melbourne for the 15th time in 17 matches, will face another Russian 18th seed Aslan Karatsev or France’s Adrian Mannarino.

“I played a great player tonight and I’m happy because this was my best match since I came back,” said the 35-year-old, who missed the second half of 2021 with a foot injury.

“I’ve had some tough times last year but the night is like tonight means everything.”

With Federer still injured and nine-times Australian Open champion Djokovic deported after a visa row, Nadal has a chance to get ahead of the duo with whom he shares the record for most men’s Grand Slam titles.

After a routine victory over American 66th seed Marcus Geron and German Yannick Hanfmann in the first and second rounds, Khachanov represented a step in his class for Nadal despite the Russian winning only once from Mallorcan.

Nadal was prepared though and won 12 of his first 13 points to prove his authority all over the field.

Khachanov had no response to Nadal’s intensity and only managed to win by one point serving Nadal in the opening set.

Nadal broke early in the second set but Khachanov won an incredible point in the fourth game, sweeping off the ground to defeat a backhand and then winning another incredible run to earn a break point.

He couldn’t convert that and Nadal immediately broke into the next match en route to a two-set lead.

Khachanov started getting closer to the lines and with more danger in the third set, which he fired after breaking Nadal’s serve for the first time to advance 3-1.

Nadal simply found another tool, striking a stunning backhand to break Khachanov, and his soul, in the second game of the fourth set.

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