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A20 SPORTS
Wednesday 4 OctOber 2017

Nadal saves 2 match points,

advances at China Open

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN points while leading 6-4 in year after wrist surgery.
Associated Press the second-set tiebreaker. Third-seeded Grigor Dimi-
BEIJING (AP) — Rafael But Nadal reeled off four trov, sixth-seeded John Is-
Nadal needed to save straight points to take the ner, eighth-seeded Nick
two match points before set and turn the match Kyrgios and Leonardo
advancing to the second around. Mayer also advanced.
round at the China Open. “Was a very tough first In the women’s tourna-
The top-ranked Spaniard, round, as I say the other ment, Maria Sharapova
playing for the first time day,” said Nadal, who lost rallied to defeat Ekaterina
since winning the U.S. to Pouille in five sets at the Makarova 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
Rafael Nadal of Spain gestures to the umpire after losing his shoe Open title last month, ral- 2016 U.S. Open. “He played “She definitely picked it
during his men’s singles match against Lucas Pouille of France well, I think. Very aggres- up in the second. But I felt
in the China Open tennis tournament at the Diamond Court in lied to beat Lucas Pouille
Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. 4-6, 7-6 (6), 7-5 Tuesday. sive. He’s serving well. For like although she won that
Associated Press Pouille held two match me was little bit difficult at second set, I was really mo-
the beginning. Then I start- tivated to start the third,”
ed to play better, I think. Sharapova said. “I was
“But still, I didn’t have the questioning how I would
control of the match for al- feel physically, but I felt re-
most all the time.” ally good going into the
In the final set, Nadal broke third set.”
Pouille’s serve to take a 6-5 The former top-ranked Rus-
lead and then served out sian will next face second-
the match. seeded Simona Halep on
Nadal is 57-9 this season Wednesday.
and leads the tour with five “We know each other’s
ATP singles titles, including games very well. That’s
the French Open. He won no secret. They’ve always
the China Open title as a been very challenging,
teenager in 2005 and has tough, competitive, emo-
a 21-5 record in Beijing. He tional,” Sharapova said.
next plays Thursday against “Any time you’re able to
Karen Khachanov, who face an opponent that’s
beat Chinese wild-card en- done something and well,
try Wu Di. it’s great to see where you
Earlier, Juan Martin del are and where your level
Potro advanced by beat- is.”
ing Pablo Cuevas 7-6 (4), Halep advanced after
6-4. Magdalena Rybarikova re-
“It was enough to win. I tired from their match while
play good in important mo- trailing 6-1, 2-1.
ments of the match, that’s Other winners include Kar-
the tiebreaks and the last olina Pliskova, Elena Vesn-
game of the second set,” ina, Petra Kvitova, Daria
said the 2009 U.S. Open Gavrilova, Sorana Cirstea,
champion, who returned Darla Kasatkina and Bar-
to professional tennis last bora Strycova.q