Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic advanced to the second round of the China Open on Tuesday. Nadal took out Chinese wild card Di Wu 6-4, 6-4, while Djokovic had a much easier day at the office during a 6-1, 6-1 thrashing of Simone Bolelli.
The third-seeded Spaniard dropped serve four times, including on three occasions in the second set–all of which saw him trail 0-40. Nadal, who led by a set and a break at 6-4, 1-0, finally managed to consolidate a break by holding for the match at 5-4.
“(It) looked like the match was under control with 6-4, 1-0, but then the situation changed,” the world No. 8 reflected. “I think I played little bit too much far away from the baseline. But is true the last three games of the match I was playing better. I hit some good forehands down the line and that’s why I finished the match well and with the victory.
“(I’m) practising well, the level of tennis going to be there sooner or later. I am working a lot to make that happen. I think I’m closer to that. I know it is obvious that I need results to confirm that, but we are almost at the end of this season and I have time to keep playing the last tournaments of the year with the chance to practice the things that I need to do for next year.”
Nadal-Wu highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BISdx0n_TQ8]
Nadal in press:
[tweet https://twitter.com/SitTanyusha/status/651380645688688640]
Djokovic cruised past Bolelli in only one hour and 11 minutes, improving to 25-0 lifetime in Beijing.
“I thought I played on a very high level considering it’s my first official match after the U.S. Open,” said the world No. 1, who beat Nadal in an exhibition match last week. “Obviously in the first matches you still don’t know how you’re going to start out. It takes time for you to adjust to the conditions and so forth.
“I came out with a great intensity, played some of my best tennis on this court, and managed to win against a player that I thought was playing well.”
Djokovic-Bolelli highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE48-4IK3Ek]
Djokovic with a selfie stick:
[tweet https://twitter.com/SI_Tennis/status/651411490239553536]
Nadal and Djokovic are joined in the last 16 by David Ferrer and Vasek Pospisil. Fresh off a title in Kuala Lumpur, Ferrer maintained his fine form with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Thomaz Bellucci. Pospisil gave himself a shot at Nadal on Wednesday by overcoming Victor Estrella Burgos 4-6, 7-5, 6-0.
[polldaddy poll=9113454]
I’ll take Rafa in 3 though Pospisil has a chance at the upset if he catches fire.
or even if he doesnt
Yeah you’re right considering Rafas recent woes and his eight lost games against Wu. Honestly Pospisil just has to be consistent and patiently aggressive the problem is he might not be able to do that especially against a top guy who he probably knows he has an opportunity to beat here. It might be too much for him to handle. I like Rafa but I actually wouldn’t mind seeing Pospisil win especially if he got to play sock next. Boy would that be something to see. That would for sure go three.