Nadal, Tiafoe enter QFs of Australian Open 2019

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 2 in ATP rankings and 2009 champion Rafael Nadal, 32, Spain, and World No 39 Fraces Tiafoe, 21, USA, marched into the men’s singles quarter-finals of Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, on January 20, 2019.

Nadal, the winner of 17 Grand Slam titles, demolished World No 57 and 2010 Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych, 33, Czech Republic, 6-0, 6–1, 7-6 in the 4th round on January 20.  Nadal was all over Berdych in the first two sets. Berdych though put up some fight in the third taking it to tie-breaker. Both the players served 5 Aces each in the match.

Nadal, however, won 5 break points to none by Berdych. Nadal also won 9 games in a row in the match. Berdych committed 3 double faults to 1 by Nadal. Nadal’s winning percentage on both his first and second serve was much better than that of Berdych, who had reached the semi-finals of Australian Open in 2014 and 2015. Nadal had retired in the 5th set of his quarter-finals match against World No 7 Marin Cilic in the Australian Open in 2018.

World No 39 Frances Tiafoe upset World No 21 Grigor Dimitrov, 27, Bulgaria, in tough four-set contest 7-5, 7-6, 6-7, 7-5 in the 4th round on January 20, 2019, to sail into the quarter-finals of Australian Open for the first time. Dimitrov though fired 21 Aces in the match to 10 by Tiafoe. Dimitrov committed 6 double faults to 4 by his American rival. Tiafoe won 5 break points in the match to 3 by Dimitrov. Both the players won 3 games each in a row. Incidentally, Dimitrov’s winning percentage on both his first and second serve (74 % & 57 %) was better than that of Tiafoe ( 66% & 53 %). Tiafoe had defeated World No 6 Kevin Anderson, 32, South Africa, in the 2nd round.

Tiafoe will face Nadal in the quarter-finals on January 22, 2019.