Nadal, Murray advance in straight sets
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, May 30, 2014
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Rafael Nadal beat promising youngster Dominic Thiem 6-2 6-2 6-3 in the second round of the French Open. |
Rafael Nadal passed his French Open second-round test with flying colors yesterday, showing flashes of his intimidating best in a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win over talented Austrian Dominic Thiem.
The eight-time champion from Spain applauded his 20-year-old opponent after being tested on court Philippe Chatrier more than the scoreline suggested.
"His ball is so high he was able to hit strong; he has completely everything to become a champion," said the world No. 1, who for the first time arrived at Roland Garros having lost three matches on his favored clay this season.
"I think today I played a solid match, I knew that if I didn't I would be in trouble."
He briefly was in the third set when Thiem, who stunned world No. 3 Stan Wawrinka in the second round of the Madrid Masters this month, broke and held serve to open a 3-1 lead. His booming inside-out forehands briefly put Nadal in trouble as the Spaniard eyeballed his opponent.
But Nadal won the remaining games, ending the contest on his second match point.
Nadal, who next faces Argentine Leonardo Mayer, is on a quarterfinal collision course with last year's runner-up David Ferrer.
Fifth seed Ferrer, one of three men to beat compatriot Nadal on clay this season, wasted little time in mauling Italian Simone Bolelli 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. "I am ready for the next round and very happy with my performance, especially my consistency," he said.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray also advanced by beating Australia's Marinko Matosevic 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
The seventh-seeded Scot who missed last year's event because of a back injury, will face Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany next.
In the absence of the Williams sisters, 15th seed Sloane Stephens raised American morale by easing past Slovenian Polona Hercog 6-1, 6-3 to reach the third round.
Stephens followed her teenage compatriot Taylor Townsend, who on Wednesday became the youngest player to go past the second round at Roland Garros since 2009 on the day world No. 1 Serena Williams and her elder sister Venus were knocked out.
The 21-year-old Stephens blazed through the opening set before running into a spot of bother midway through the second as Hercog upped her game but the American ended the contest on her second match point with a crosscourt forehand winner.
Sixth seed Jelena Jankovic proved strong for Japanese Kurumi Nara, winning 7-5, 6-0. The Serbian is a three-time semifinalist in Paris.
Li Na's conqueror Kristina Mladenovic of France outlasted American Alison Riske 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3.
Former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 27th seed, labored to a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Italian Camila Giorgi. The Russian next faces fifth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova, who eased past Marina Erakovic of New Zealand 6-4, 6-4.
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