Nadal Survives Schwartzman Test In Melbourne

Rafael Nadal survived a three-hour, 51-minute battle to end the challenge of Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3 and reach his 10th Australian Open quarter-final on Sunday.

The 31-year-old found himself up a set and a break on three occasions but lost a second-set tie-break after Schwartzman broke back on each occasion and rallied to level the match. After dropping his first set of the tournament in that tie-break, the World No. 1 re-established control with an improved level on serve to clinch his spot in the last eight of a Grand Slam for the 33rd time.

Nadal, who is now assured of staying at World No. 1 post-tournament, will meet Marin Cilic who navigated his way past Pablo Carreno Busta 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-6(0), 7-6(3). Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 5-1.

The 2009 champion saved four break points and won 75 per cent of points behind his second serve en route to winning the first set, which he secured after breaking his rival in a marathon eighth game before a confident hold to love.

The second set was a constant battle, Nadal established control on three occasions with breaks of serve but was pegged back each time by stunning tennis from his 5’7” opponent. Schwartzman, looking to reach back-to-back Grand Slam quarter finals, forced a tie-break and stunned the World No. 1 who had not dropped a set in the tournament to level the match.

The top seed improved his level on serve in the third set to get back on track before securing the only break of the set in the fourth game, where he broke the 24th seed to love. Dropping just three points in his remaining three service games of the set, Nadal confidently moved two-sets-to-one ahead.

Schwartzman once again came back at Nadal at the start of the fourth set, holding serve before manufacturing four break points on the 16-time Grand Slam champion’s serve. But Nadal eventually fought his way out of danger and pounced on his opponent’s disappointment in the following game to break for a 2-1 lead.

Saving further break points at 4-3, Nadal applied the finishing touches in the next game to finally end Schwartzman’s fight, breaking serve on his third match point to stay on course in his bid for a second Australian Open title.