The Lithuanian won the third set, just before the rain break, but did not beat the man from Manaco
The Spaniard gave up the third set but resurfaced with his best game to close in the fourth
Rafa Nadal took another step on his way to Wimblendon after defeating the Lithuanian in the second round Ricardas Berankis 6-4, 6-4, 4-6 and 6-3 in a clash that was interrupted for almost an hour by rain.
Evenly matched, with both players still cold, the match started at the All England club’s center. Berankis He solved the mistakes with good first serves with which he managed to maintain equality in the first games.
In the tenth game, Nadal had up to three set balls. recovered two Berankis but on the third try, the pressure got to him and he ended up crashing the ball into the net, giving the Balearic Islands an advantage on the scoreboard.
The second set also began evenly but the Lithuanian began to display a more aggressive game and already in the third game he signed a break after taking advantage of the second of the three break balls available to him.
The script began to resemble that of the debut duel against Cerundolo and although Rafe He was not willing to give his rival too much rope, Berankis did not allow himself to be pressured by the two break balls that the man from Manacorí had and managed to win his service to continue with an advantage.
It didn’t last too long. Rafe he raised the level, enough to get the break (3-3) and get back ahead. The tenth game was again decisive. The Lithuanian defended himself and managed to overcome up to three break balls, but Nadal unleashed his entire arsenal of blows, moved it and ended up adding the second set.
The blow did not seem to affect Berankis who continued to pick and shovel and returned to dominate at the beginning of the third set to steal the service from Manacorí. While the Lithuanian gained ground, the Balearic felt uncomfortable on the green and the break resisted him. The opportunity did not come Berankisdisplaying a high level, managed to extend the game.
He had to do Rafe clean slate to change the dynamics of the crash and it did. To begin with, he scored the first three games, using the backhand as a weapon to break his rival. In the middle of an exciting fourth game, after one of those epic points, the rain made an appearance and forced the match to be suspended for several minutes while the track was closed.
The break, of almost an hour, benefited the Lithuanian who was able to maintain his service and break the streak of Nadal. But that was almost the last concession made by the Majorcan tennis player who threw himself into the game. Berankis he did his part and kept his services but that was not enough to prolong the duel. Rafa, who opened the game with an ‘ace’, closed in the same way, in champion mode, with a direct serve and a smile on his face.
The rival of the Balearic Islands in the third round will be the Italian Lorenzo Sonego.