Nadal continues to feel the clay like the first day

Mónica Barberán Munera | 18 Jul 2024 | 17.25

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Each Rafa Nadal match at the ATP in Bastad is getting better than the previous one, and now the Spanish player will advance to the tournament's quarterfinals after defeating Cameron Norrie with a 6-4 6-4 scoreline. The Spaniard faced a tough challenge against a strong opponent but managed to overcome any issues he encountered in the second set. Rafa demonstrated an improving game, showing more focus and organization than in his previous match, being able to endure when necessary and coming out successful in a significant round of 16. Up next? Mariano Navone.

In this match, Rafa was up against a player with more prestige and difficulty, yet nothing the Spanish player wasn't prepared for. He had a strong start on his serve, and although he faced early challenges, Norrie's mistakes eventually provided him some relief. Nonetheless, the British player forced Nadal to constantly defend on his service games, not allowing him to be aggressive and dictate the points. Therefore, the Spaniard had to focus on his defense and contend with the changes in pace that Norrie posed. Despite this, Rafa relied on his first serves to come out strong from a delicate situation, even though his serve wasn't inflicting much damage.

And come out strong he did, as he endured the challenges to then turn the tables on the British opponent. By tightening his game and approaching the net more confidently, the Spaniard managed to secure the first break when Norrie seemed to have the situation under control on his service game. Norrie's errors prevented him from escaping unscathed from the initial hurdles, while Nadal confirmed the break with authority, scarcely allowing Norrie to play his game. The dynamics changed when Nadal served to claim the set, as Norrie increased his aggression to push for extending the set. However, Nadal remained composed and took the lead.

Rafa shuts down Norrie's comeback

At this stage of the match, there was a sense of a close contest, even with a Rafa who might not have been moving as effectively. Nevertheless, the Spaniard stepped onto the court with more authority, playing a well-organized tennis that provided him with opportunities. By applying pressure, moving Norrie around, using drop shots effectively, changing directions, and varying his shots significantly. However, this didn't mean that the British player backed down; instead, he increased the required aggression to break Nadal and then solidify it at the net.

Nadal needed to halt that dominant momentum that his opponent had acquired, regain composure, and then launch a counterattack. And he did just that. The match took a drastic turn, with the British player reducing his intensity while Nadal played every point decisively, calmly building confidence in his backhand. From then on, Norrie couldn't contain a motivated opponent who was in a good rhythm. Thus, Rafa clinched a hard-fought victory after winning five consecutive games, taking a step further after his debut and getting ready to face Mariano Navone. Onto the quarterfinals!

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Nadal sigue sintiendo la tierra como el primer día

ATP