Rafael Nadal kept rolling in his first clay-court of the season with a 7-5, 6-3 victory on Thursday over fellow Spaniard and friend Pablo Carreno Busta to reach the quarterfinals of the Rio Open. Nadal had already suffered two early-season losses away from his favored clay surface, so the red clay was a welcome change. The Spaniard has won nine of the last 10 French Opens and uses the clay-court season in Latin America as a tuneup for Roland Garros. Nadal looks slimmer, says he’s free from injury and illness, and it’s showed in his first two victories in Brazil. It’s all aimed at getting ready in three months for the French Open, which he has won nine of the past 10 times.
Nadal wasn’t fantastic, just good enough against a little-known opponent who has yet to win an ATP title. Nadal has won 64, including 14 Grand Slams. He struggled in the first set, unable to shake Carreno Busta. Nadal failed to convert three set points in the 10th game, but finished off the set by breaking Carreno Busta in the final game. In the second set, Nadal broke in the eighth game to lead 5-3 and then served out the match on a hot, steamy night.
”Tough conditions, a difficult, young opponent and I’m just content to be in the quarterfinals,” Nadal said. ”For me every victory is important, and even more so on clay.”
Nadal was asked about his weight. He looks lighter and leaner, but said nothing has changed.
”I am not thinner,” he said. ”For six years my weight has been practically the same, always between 85 and 86 1/2 kilos (188-190 pounds). Before I used to play with sleeveless shirts. This makes the muscles seem like more.”
”My physical side is about the same as always. Everything is the same. There are no changes in my life. There are no changes in my preparation.”
Top-seeded Rafael Nadal defeated Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil at the Rio Open on Tuesday, winning 6-4, 6-1 in his first clay-court match of the season. Nadal said about the match:
”The important thing is play a tough match like this in the first round and win,” Nadal said. ”And always beating someone in their home country, where he has a lot of support, is tough. I always have a good feeling playing on clay and I’m into the second round. That’s that matters.”
Rafael Nadal vs Carreno-B. P., 19/02/2015, 22:25 GMT, Match Center
Rio Open: Nadal makes quarterfinals
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