He won 6-3, 7-6 (4) and 6-2, still far from his best version. I only converted three of his 20 break opportunities.
Nadal hit a 'drive' volley against Delbonis.
Yes, as Nadal pointed out, the debut match against Hugo Dellien, served to prove things, Federico Delbonis raised unexpected difficulties, before falling into three sets. (Narration and statistics: 6-3, 7-6 (4) and 6-1).
The Argentine has more cach. Not surprisingly, he has been on the circuit for a few years and has lived such rewarding experiences as certifying the only Davis Cup conquered by his country, in 2016, before Ivo Karlovic, in Zagreb. He reached the 33rd place of the ATP and has two titles in the circuit. Although at 29, with the third round of Australia, four years ago, as the maximum distance traveled in a Grand Slam tournament, he is 76 on the ladder and is already a little back, very low expectations that led him to be Considered one of the great hopes of Argentine tennis, he still has a passion, the enthusiasm to become strong from the infrequent concessions of an adversary who is still far from his best version.
Delbonis made it clear from the second game he was willing to fight: raise six balls of breakand equal to one. In the beginning, when he failed to impose his left-handed kick and then enter with the driveNadal suffocated him from side to side until he made the point. The game was changing as the Spanish showed lack of auction: 1 of 18 in breaks converted after the first two sets. The Blue player took hold in the second set. See that Nadal didn't sharpen the shot to create a new gap in the scoreboard. Delbonis was twice to two points to equal a partial: 5-4 above, 15-30 and deuce the rest, but I failed to create his first choice of break and succumbed in the tiebreaker.
Normally, Nadal, as usual, increases its performance as demand increases. It is likely that before Pablo Carreo, 30, he will offer a more convincing performance. At the moment, either because of the accumulated fatigue in the recent ATP Cup, where he played eight games in nine days, or because, simply, he is not fine, he offers doubts. He lacks his usual authority with the drive and of punchthat characterizes him. It is, however, the number 1 in the world, the tournament champion in 2009 and the finalist four times, the most recent last year. All that ends up getting noticed. Once he finally managed to break his opponent's serve again and place 3-1 in the third, there was no more confrontation. “It was my first night game and the conditions are different. I lost too many 'break' options. In the end I found a way to win the second set and I could play more relaxed. “
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