The Frenchman faked the comeback in the third set, but Nadal managed to prevent it
It will be measured on Monday in the round of 16 against Tiafoe
who faced some problems in the first two rounds of the US Openqualified this Saturday for the round of 16 of the last Grand Slam of the year after easily defeat Frenchman Richard Gasquet in a placid match 6-0, 6-1 and 7-5 in two hours and 17 minutes.
in eighths will face the American Frances Tiafoewho defeated Argentine Diego Schwartzman in the third round.
Gasquet was much inferior to Nadal in the first two setsconsecutively lost the first nine games of the evening and only in the last set managed to stand up to the Spanish to avoid a real beating.
In any case, this resounding victory It also served for Nadal to gain confidence -and save energy- before facing the second and decisive week of the tournament.
The match was ideal for Nadal and a nightmare for Gasquetwho lives a true curse with the Spanish.
Counting this Saturday in Flushing Meadows, Nadal and Gasquet, both 36 years old, have faced each other 18 times and in the 18 the man from Manacor has sung victory.
Even more striking is the streak of 34 straight sets that Nadal has taken against Gasquet.
Let’s go, @Rafael Nadal pic.twitter.com/6XIMbmzzGV
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 4, 2022
no comeback
Nadal had just lost the first set in his first two matches at the US Open and having to come back against the Australian Rinky Hijikata and Italian Fabio Fognini.
It seemed that the match against Gasquet was going to follow a similar course when he started the game with a 0-40, but it was only a mirage.
Nadal resolved the three “break” balls against him to keep his service, he broke his rival’s and got 3-0 from his serve to clear ghosts.
Gasquet did not find tools or resources to respond to Nadal’s massive and powerful play from the back of the court, who moved his opponent at will and who he took the set 6-0 in 42 minutes.
In the second set the script of the match did not change, which by then was an absolute monologue by Nadal.
With a defeated and discouraged air, Gasquet wandered around the track without finding answers: if he went up to the net, Nadal passed him; and if he tried to fight from the bottom, the Spaniard moved him from side to side until he was crushed.
A strange and unseemly silence fell over Arthur Ashe Stadium.the center court of the US Open, due to the lack of emotion in the match.
After nine games against, Gasquet was finally able to open his scoring when Nadal hit a return into the net, a moment that the Frenchman, with irony but also relief, celebrated with his arms raised and the public giving him a standing ovation (3-1).
Already with the second set in the pocket by 6-1, Nadal started the third sleeve with a new “break” and everything pointed to a new ride.
But then Gasquet woke up.
With 2-1 against, Gasquet was able to volley break Nadal’s service for the first time and later a blank game was scored at service (2-3).
Much looser and more aggressive, as both his forehand and backhand suddenly worked wonders for him, Gasquet looked like another player and the public took his side to try to prolong the duel.
Nadal did not lose his nerve at any time, not even when Gasquet remained with 4-5 to have won the set.
With the match much more disputed and exciting in that section, Nadal gritted his teeth to the rest with 5-5, managed to break Gasquet’s serve with a reverse parallel from the middle of the track and headed the way to eighth without major shocks.