RAFAEL NADAL AVENGES BARCELONA LOSS TO ALMAGRO, NOW FACES FOGNINI BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 22nd April 2015

Conde de Godo tennis tournament in Barcelona

RAFAEL NADAL AVENGES BARCELONA LOSS TO ALMAGRO, NOW FACES FOGNINI BY RICKY DIMON

epa04716380 Spain's Rafael Nadal serves the ball to his compatriot Nicolas Almagro during their second round match at the Conde de Godo tennis tournament at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona, Spain, 22 April 2015. EPA/ANDREU DALMAU |

There would be no repeat of the 2014 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell quarterfinals. Not on Wednesday. Not in the second round. Not against Rafael Nadal.

Nadal lost to Nicolas Almagro 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 last season in Barcelona, but it was one-way traffic in the opposite direction this time around. The former world No. 1 cruised 6-3, 6-1 in one hour and 38 minutes to set up a meeting with Fabio Fognini.

Spain’s Rafael Nadal returns the ball to his compatriot Nicolas Almagro during their second round match at the Conde de Godo tennis tournament at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona, Spain, 22 April 2015. EPA/ANDREU DALMAU

Despite the lopsided scoreline, it was not entirely routine for Nadal. Almagro even went up a break right away in the second set before the favored Spaniard restored order to the proceedings. But Almagro never gave up–not even down 5-1. The final game of the match lasted more than 20 minutes, with Nadal saving seven break points before finally holding serve for the win.

“I had in mind that I was playing against a rival who beat me here last year, and that was a plus,” the eight-time Barcelona champion explained. “As a rival in the first [match], it was the worst that I could have drawn. This was very positive; 6-3, 6-1 is a commanding win.

“The ups and downs that I had to start his season, I didn’t have here. I played at a good rhythm throughout, and that is promising. I only need a little more velocity, but for the first day I have to be satisfied.”

Spain’s Rafael Nadal waves to the crowd after beating his compatriot Nicolas Almagro in their second round match at the Conde de Godo tennis tournament at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona, Spain, 22 April 2015. EPA/ANDREU DALMAU

Nadal and Fognini will be facing each other for the sixth time in their careers and for the second time this season when. The head-to-head series stands at 4-1 in Nadal’s favor, but Fognini got on the scoreboard a few months ago on the clay courts of Rio de Janeiro in the form of a 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 upset. Nadal has still won two of their three encounters on the slow stuff, having previously prevailed 6-1, 6-3 two years ago in Rome and 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4 shortly thereafter at the French Open.

Unfortunately for Fognini, this may not be the same Nadal that was on display in Rio. The fourth-ranked Spaniard lost early in Indian Wells and Miami, but he played better in Monte-Carlo (despite succumbing to Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals). Fognini also benefited from a first-round bye before battling past Andrey Rublev 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. The 13th-seeded Italian is just 7-9 for his 2015 campaign and this is first trip past a second round since Rio.

With Nadal picking up confidence and Fognini lacking in the same department, this should be routine.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Atp, Barcelona Open, Fabio Fognini, Nicolas Almagro, Rafa, Ricky Dimon, Sports, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

April 22, 2015 at 3:49 pm

-@RafaelNadal AVENGES #BarcelonaOpen LOSS TO @NicoAlmagro, NOW FACES @fabiofogna BY @Dimonator- http://t.co/ixujHJ4oJp #Nadal #ATPBarcelona