Rafael Nadal may not be at his dominant best during the current clay-court swing, but that was not the main reason why he was forced to contest the longest best-of-three match of the entire season on Wednesday night at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Nadal withstood a spirited effort by Gilles Simon to prevail 7-6(1), 6-7(4), 6-2 and reach the third round after three hours and 18 minutes of play.
The world No. 1 could have finished the job in two, but he gave back an early break in the second set and also squandered a match point with a shanked second-serve forehand return.
“It was a tough moment in the second set, but this was the first match [during the current clay-court swing] where I had to suffer, mentally and physically,” Nadal admitted. “I was not playing bad and I am happy to have dealt with that kind of anxiety. I look forward to playing the third set because these are the matches that give me more satisfaction, the ones that test you very deeply. I did it and I am very happy.”
Nadal-Simon highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msZqggkiYYo]
Roger Federer was not as fortunate after being pushed to a third set, as the recent father on twin boys went down to Jeremy Chardy 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) in two hours and six minutes. Federer had a match point on his own serve in the third-set tiebreaker, but Chardy came up with a dramatic forehand pass to stay alive before winning it two points later.
“I wasn’t really able to stretch the lead when I had it,” Federer reflected afterward. “I think we both struggled at times in the wind today and in the end a shot here or there decided the match. Credit to him for fighting his way back into the match.”
Federer after his loss:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9hIKbgZ9Bs]
Chardy:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypXf-brVkbY]
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