Rafael Nadal bounced back from a set deficit to beat Nick Kyrgios 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4 in the third round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Thursday. Nadal needed two hours and 39 minutes to set up a potential quarterfinal showdown against Novak Djokovic.
The fifth-ranked Spaniard lost the last five points of the opening-set tiebreaker, but he righted the ship immediately by winning the first eight points of the second set–including a love service break for 1-0. He did not drop a serve a single time over the course of the final two sets, so a break in a marathon game at 1-1 of the third set proved to be decisive.
Nadal is joined in the last eight by Dominic Thiem, who brought an end to Roger Federer’s brief run in Rome with a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory. Thiem more than doubled his unforced errors (13) with winners (29) to get the job done in one hour and 18 minutes. He will face Kei Nishikori on Friday after the world No. 6 cruised past Richard Gasquet.
“I’m very happy to be in the quarterfinals,” Thiem assured. “It was a very tricky match today. Of course [Federer] was not 100 percent, but still he played some very good points.”
Federer had recently pulled out of the Mutua Madrid Open–his fourth withdrawal of 2016–so he used this tournament to gauge his status for upcoming French Open. The 34-year-old has been dealing with a back injury, but he was happy to get two matches under his belt on the clay (he defeated Alexander Zverev in straight sets in round one).
“Absolutely,” Federer said when asked if this was still a positive week for him. “I’m happy I was able to play and still feel about the same. That was most important…. It doesn’t matter how I played. (What’s) important is that I didn’t have any setbacks and that I was able to step on the tennis court. It was not really a tactical match for me, to be honest.
“I was limited because Thiem had completely the upper hand from the baseline. So I had to find other ways to win the point. That was interesting in itself; so I kind of enjoyed it from that aspect.”
The 17-time major champion has not yet decided if he will stay in Rome, go to Roland Garros, or head back to Switzerland in the immediate future for practice and treatment in advance of the season’s second Grand Slam. Next week’s ATP schedule includes 250-point events in Nice and Geneva before the French Open starts on May 22.
“Now, obviously, time starts ticking more towards Paris,” Federer commented. “(The) next 10, 12 days are really going to be important for me to recover…. I’m confident and hopeful (to play the French Open) at the same time. But, as of now, clearly the way I’m playing is never going to be enough for any good run in Paris.”
Federer press conference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlmOWfnVpMs
Thiem interview:
[polldaddy poll=9415361]
[polldaddy poll=9415567]
good wins for Nadal and Thiem
Indeed, concerning Nadal, I left work shortly after he’d lost the 1st set and I have to say I was worried. Later I was pleased when I saw the score.
About Thiem, it just confirms even more how promising his career is.