ATP MADRID OPEN TENNIS 2017 NEWS – NADAL, DJOKOVIC BATTLE TO THREE-SET WINS IN RESPECTIVE MADRID OPENERS

Written by: Staff on 10th May 2017

ATP MADRID OPEN TENNIS 2017 NEWS - NADAL, DJOKOVIC BATTLE TO THREE-SET WINS IN RESPECTIVE MADRID OPENERS

epa05955266 Spain's Rafael Nadal in action against Italy's Fabio Fognini during their second round match of the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament at Caja Magica tennis complex in Madrid, Spain, 10 May 2017. EPA/FERNANDO VILLAR |

By Ricky Dimon

Four-time champion Rafael Nadal survived his opening match at the Mutua Madrid Open on Wednesday, beating familiar foe Fabio Fognini 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-4 after two hours and 57 minutes. Nadal improved to 9-3 lifetime against Fognini and 2-0 this season, thus setting up a third-round showdown against Nick Kyrgios on Thursday.

The fifth-ranked Spaniard sprayed an uncharacteristic amount of unforced errors and failed to serve out the third set at 5-3, but a break at 5-4 brought a merciful end to the rocky encounter.

“I think that even though I played really badly, my attitude has been very positive,” Nadal explained. “My attitude and the will to win today’s match was there. My level of tennis was not so high today, but I managed to make it through. It was uncomfortable. I think before it wasn’t so windy, but when I started playing it was a really awful day. It was really windy.”

Whereas Nadal had been in fine form with titles in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona, an underwhelming performance was nothing new for Novak Djokovic. The struggling world No. 2 was again far from his best on Wednesday, but he had just enough to get past Nicolas Almagro 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 after two hours and 15 minutes.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts after defeating Spain’s Nicolas Almagro in their second round match of the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 10 May 2017. EPA/SERGIO BARRENECHEA

Djokovic, who compiled a 7-4 record in his previous four tournaments, split from his entire support team last week.

“Obviously when you’re not winning too many matches, you have to build the confidence level,” Madrid’s second seed commented. “So to win matches like this definitely helps confidence.

“[Almagro] loves playing on clay. He was obviously motivated. He has a lot of strength in his shots, a lot of precision. He can, from both corners, hit equally well. If he doesn’t make many mistakes, he can really beat anyone. But I hung in there and knew that eventually I’m going to get my chances and going to get some looks on the second serves. When they were presented, I was ready to use them.”

Djokovic will have to use them again when he faces another Spaniard in Feliciano Lopez on Thursday.

“I’m still finding my way to that consistency level and quality of tennis that I’m looking for,” Djokovic admitted. “I’m aware that I’m not playing at my best, but I’m definitely believing in myself and the process. Eventually, the game will come together.”