OLYMPIC TENNIS SCHEDULE AND UPDATE AS RAFA RAFAEL NADAL WINS AGAIN IN RIO & DEL POTRO BATTLES THROUGH ANOTHER THREE-SETTER BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 11th August 2016

OLYMPIC TENNIS SCHEDULE AND UPDATE AS RAFA RAFAEL NADAL WINS AGAIN IN RIO & DEL POTRO BATTLES THROUGH ANOTHER THREE-SETTER BY RICKY DIMON

epa05474333 Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Gilles Simon of France during their Men's third round match at the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games Tennis events in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 11 August 2016. EPA/PETER KLAUNZER |

Rafael Nadal is one win away from playing for a medal after he defeated Gilles Simon 7-6(5), 6-3 in the third round of the Rio Olympics on Thursday afternoon. One more victory would put Nadal in the semifinals, at which point he would have two chances to win at least one match and snag another Olympic medal.

“The passion for what I am doing,” Nadal said when asked how he is still going strong eight years after capturing the gold medal in Beijing. “The passion for the sport; the motivation to keep doing the things that I like. I love to compete in all of tennis.”

Nadal is competing to a significant extent on Thursday, as he also has men’s doubles and mixed doubles on the schedule.

The Spaniard’s first of three matches got off to a roller-coaster of a start, as he and Simon took turns leading by a service break. Simon pulled ahead 2-1 only to lose three straight games, but the unseeded Frenchman quickly got back on serve by earning a second break and then held for 4-4. A tiebreaker eventually had to decide things, and Nadal took it thanks in part to a crucial mini-break at 5-5 when Simon sent a backhand just long.

Although the second set was more straightforward, the former world No. 1 did run into some trouble. He failed to serve out the match at 5-2 but responded with a break to punch his ticket to the quarterfinals.

“Always to win a first set like this gives you confidence,” Nadal explained. “I started strong in the second, and that was the difference. Gilles is a very tricky player. Sometimes you don’t know whether tohit strong or with less power. It’s important to change the rhythm.”

It was especially important for him to finish the job in straight sets, because he will play with Marc Lopez later in the afternoon before capping off the day by teaming up with Garbine Muguruza.

“Nobody avoids fatigue,” Nadal assured. “For sure everybody is tired. For me personally, it probably helped me a little bit. I am fine. The next match for me (doubles semifinals) is so important because it’s a possibility for a medal with one of my best friends.”

Juan Martin Del Potro’s run also continued into the last eight, as he overcame Taro Daniel 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-2. Del Potro lost the first set after being up a break, but he thoroughly overpowered the Japanese wild card the rest of the way.

Argentinean player Juan Martin del Potro in action against Japan’s Daniel Taro during their men’s singles third round match for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games tennis tournament at the Olympic Tennis Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 11 August 2016. EPA/FERNANDO MAIA

The 27-year-old Argentine is making an emotional trek through Rio de Janeiro as he returns from yet another wrist surgery, and to say this is improbable would be an understatement given that he had to go up against world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the first round. Del Potro pulled off a 7-6(4), 7-6(2) upset of Djokovic before holding off Joao Sousa in three sets just about 15 hours later.

Next up for Nadal is hometown hopeful Thomaz Bellucci, who took out David Goffin 7-6(10), 6-4 on Thursday. Del Potro, meanwhile, is scheduled to face Roberto Bautista Agut. The Spaniard ousted Luxembourgian flag-bearer Gilles Muller 6-4, 7-6(4).

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

Topics: 10sballs.com, Juan Martin Del Potro, Olympic tennis, Rafa Nadal, Ricky Dimon, Rio 2016, Sports, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

August 11, 2016 at 7:25 pm

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August 11, 2016 at 8:05 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: Olympic #Tennis Schedule & Update As Rafa Wins Again In Rio & Del Potro Battles Through…
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