ATP Roland Garros: Rafael Nadal topples Maden to reach the third round
Despite some troubles in the third set, the 2nd seed Rafael Nadal is through to the third round at Roland Garros following a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 triumph over a qualifier Yannick Maden in two hours and nine minutes. The 11-time champion dominated in the opening two sets and wasted a break twice in set number three before sealing the deal with a hold in game ten to enter the last 32. This was the 88th Roland Garros victory for Nadal in 90 matches in Paris, becoming only the fourth player with that many encounters at single Major after Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer and Andre Agassi, dominating the second Grand Slam of the season as no one ever before him at any of the biggest tournaments.
The Spaniard got broken twice in the third set and that was all Maden managed to do on the return, suffering seven breaks from 11 chances offered to the great champion and staying on 15 winners and 20 unforced errors. Nadal counted to 43 winners and 23 unforced errors, barely stepping a foot wrong besides those two loose service games when he already had the lead in the third set. Rafa lost just seven points on serve in the opening set, facing no break points and forcing an error from the German in game two for a perfect start. Another forehand mistake from Maden cost him serve in the fourth game and Nadal closed the opener with a hold at 15 in game seven for a 6-1.
Yannick grabbed only three return points in the second set and there was no way to follow Nadal's pace, suffering breaks in games one and five and allowing Rafa to close the set with a service winner at 5-2, moving a set away from the victory after an hour and 19 minutes. Maden finally found his shots in the third set, starting to hit with more power and precision in the third set to break Rafa twice in a row at 2-3 and 3-4, leveling the score at 4-4 before the Spaniard claimed eight of the last 11 points to take the set 6-4 and move into the third round.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2wB7twp
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