Melbourne: The sixth seed Rafa Nadal dropped his first set at the Australian Open this year but still powered up to the fourth with a 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1 defeat to Karen Khachhanov on Friday.
The Spaniard, who tried to claim the 21st Grand Slam title with the absence of a major rival Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, was sensational when he took two sets.
“Lots of energy in my pocket to keep going, keep fighting.” @Rafaelnadal has not been completed with 👊 # Ausopen • …
https://t.co/cpf5napehp- #Ausopen (@australia) 1642771987000 Patapi Khachhanov, 28th seed, throws caution in the wind in a malignant set with nadal oranges .
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Runner-up Olympic Khachhanov has lost the seven previous meetings with the Australian Open Champion 2009 Nadal but briefly seemed to be able to return.
The dream was still alive ✨🇪🇸 @rafaelnadal beat Karen Khachhanov 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1 to advance to the fourth round …
https://t.co/uyCzGaUefum- #Ausopen (@AustralianOpen) 1642771265000Nadal control Back with the break serving at the fourth and hour after beating midnight he spent the match in a hurry.
Nadal, who has reached the last 16 in Melbourne for the 15th time in 17 appearances, will face other Russian seeds, Aslan Karatsev, or France Adrian Mannarino next.
“I played a great player tonight and was happy that this was my best match since returning,” Nadal was 35 years old, who missed the second half of 2021 with a foot injury, said in court.
“I’ve passed some difficult times in the past year but nights like tonight meant everything.” With Federer was still injured and nine-time an open champion Australia Djokovic was deported after a visa line, Nadal had the opportunity to surround the duo with whom he shared the record of most grand slam titles.
After the routine win against American Giron and German qualifications in 66th place, Yannick Hanfmann in the round of one and two, Khachhanov represents steps in the class for Nadal even though Russia only won one who won someone.
Nadal was primed and won 12 of the first 13 points to smoke his authority throughout the court.
Khachhanov has no answer to the intensity of Nadal and managed to win only one point on Nadal’s serving in the opening set.
Nadal went bankrupt serving at the start of the second set but Khachhanov won extraordinary points in the fourth match, chose himself from the floor to overcome the backhand winner and then won an extraordinary rally to get a break point.
He could not convert it and Nadal immediately broke in the next match on his way to tin two sets.
Khachhanov began to hit closer to the line and with more threats in the third set, which he took after breaking Nadal’s serving for the first time to lead 3-1.
Nadal only found another equipment, firing amazing backhand winners to break Khachhanov’s service, and Spirit, in the second match of the fourth set.