ATP Montreal: Rafael Nadal sinks Pella to move in front of Roger Federer
World no. 2 and the defending Canadian Open champion Rafael Nadal is through to the 91st Masters 1000 quarter-final, beating Guido Pella 6-3, 6-4 in windy conditions after an hour and 41 minutes. It was the 39th win of the season for Rafa and the record-breaking 379th at the Masters 1000 events, leaving Roger Federer on 378 and staying on the title course, trying to defend the title outside clay for the first time. The Spaniard had 24 winners and 26 unforced errors, leaving Pella on a 7-17 ratio and forging the victory in the mid-range rallies after losing the edge to the Argentine in the shortest ones up to four strokes, something he will have to improve against Fabio Fognini on Friday.
Pella converted one out of three break chances and got broken three times from ten opportunities offered to Nadal, giving his best to prolong the battle but never looking good enough to challenge Rafa more seriously. Both players lost nine points behind the initial shot in the opening set and it was Rafa who secured an early break to control the remaining games and take it 6-3. The Spaniard held at 15 in the first game and grabbed a break a few minutes later after a massive forehand error from Pella, cementing the break after two deuces and a forehand winner in game three. Serving for the set at 5-3, Nadal fired four winners to close it in style after 45 minutes, controlling the pace with 12 winners and 11 unforced errors.
After two holds at love at the beginning of the second set, Rafa converted the third break point in game three with a smash winner, holding at love with another smash winner to gain a 3-1 advantage and move closer to the finish line. The sixth game was the longest one of the match and Pella broke back on the third chance following a forced error from Nadal, leveling the score at 3-3 before suffering another break in the next game to send Rafa in front once again. Guido repelled three match points on serve in game nine to stay within one break deficit before Nadal sealed the deal on own serve a few minutes later to propel himself into the last eight.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2ZLhZ0K
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