Nadal storms into French Open third round

Paris June 1 (IANS) Rafael Nadal confidently moved one step closer to a potential 10th French Open title with a 6-1 6-4 6-3 second-round victory over Robin Haase.

The Spaniard needed just an hour and 49 minutes on Wednesday to overcome his 46th-ranked opponent playing a clean match in which he struck 33 winners committed just 13 unforced errors and did not face a single break point Efe news reported.

The world No. 4 rolled through one service game after another in his first match this year in the French Open s main stadium Philippe-Chatrier Court remarkably winning an even higher percentage of second-serve points (85 per cent) than first-serve points (76 per cent).

The Dutchman settled down and was more competitive after a lopsided first set but never posed a serious threat to Nadal winner of a record nine Roland Garros men s singles titles.

I think I played a good match. No no I can t say another thing. I think I played a solid match. Hitting very well the ball with the forehand. I think my serve worked better than two days ago Nadal said in the post-match press conference.

The 30-year-old Spaniard who is trying to win the French Open for the first time since 2014 sustained a wrist injury last year that forced him to withdraw from the event prior to his third-round match.

But he said that the injury had not resurfaced in 2017.

I don t feel anything on the wrist since long time ago. Treatment went well so I ve had no wrong feeling since the beginning of the season with the wrist. That s good news.

Next up for the Spaniard in the third round will be 63rd-ranked Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili who edged Serbian Viktor Troicki 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (8-6) on Wednesday.

--IANS
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