- The world's number one won the Argentine 6-3, 7-6 (4) and 6-1
- Pablo Carreño was the other survivor of the day with Verdasco
Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal qualified on Thursday for the third round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season, after beating Argentina's Federico Delbonis 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-1 and meeting with his compatriot Pablo Carreño, survivor of the day with Fernando Verdasco.
After a placid premiere on Tuesday against Bolivian Hugo Dellien, the world number one faced a more expert opponent who again finished at a better level after a game not too bright and could be complicated by his lack of success in break opportunities.
The Balearic had up to 20 break opportunities, but was only able to convert three of them, one in the first set and the other two in the third. In return, he did not grant any to the Argentine, who barely won a score of points from the rest to his rival, who still has to refine his tennis.
Neither the 'drive' nor the two-handed setback was at its best level, but it was much more regular than that of AZul, condemned for its 43 unforced errors, 14 less than the Spanish, which concluded the duel of two and a half hours with 33 winning strokes and better sensations.
After wasting six breakage options, Nadal managed to break the second Delbonis service and close the first sleeve without fuss. But what was presented as a possible easy scenario, it was not in the second, where the 2009 champion did not take advantage of any of the 'break' balls he had in four of his opponent's six serves.
The Argentine was gaining confidence and managed to reach the always uncertain 'sudden death'. Nadal was solid and saved any kind of trouble to take the set and find a downhill to the third round.
The next obstacle of Manacorí in the tournament to be in the round of 16 will be his compatriot Pablo Carreño, who won his ticket for the third round after winning four sleeves (6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 ) to German Peter Gojowczyk.
The Asturian tennis player, twenty-seventh favorite, dominated with solvency the first two sleeves against a rival classified from the previous one and despite the dismissal of the third set, remained calm to avoid an always complicated fifth partial.
In addition, Fernando Verdasco, semifinalist in 2009, also got into the third round, where he will face the German Alexander Zverev, after tracing his game against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili and prevailing 4-6, 7-6 (5 ), 6-4, 6-4. The Madrid was replaced by the loss of the first set and go with 'break' down to leave out the 26th series head supported by his powerful 'drive'.
As for the defeats, the Balearic Jaume Munar said goodbye to Melbourne, eliminated by the Australian Alex Popyrin (6-2, 7-6, 6-2) and the Valencian Pedro Martínez, who could only disturb a set to the Russian Daniil Medvedev before losing 7-5, 6-1, 6-3. The fourth favorite in the first 'big' of the year connected 19 direct serves and a total of 40 winners.