Nadal claims easy victory, Federer overcomes Schwartzman in Shanghai
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E-mail Xinhua, October 11, 2017
The top two seeds Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer both kicked off their Shanghai Rolex Masters with straight-set wins in the Super Wednesday action, beating Jared Donaldson and Diego Schwartzman respectively to reach the last 16 of the season's penultimate ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament.
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Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after winning the second round match against Jared Donaldson of the United States at 2017 ATP Shanghai Rolex Masters in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 11, 2017. (Xinhua/Fan Jun) |
No.1 seed Nadal needed only 54 minutes to knock out Jared Donaldson of the United States 6-2, 6-1 at the central court.
"It was a very quick match in all aspects. I think Jared started playing very well at the beginning, serving big, and then hitting very strong from the baseline," Nadal said after the match.
"Of course I started trying to play a little bit more safe, you know, without looking for big shots. Always the first match, as I say before, is difficult and the transition is not easy...I'm happy with everything. For me it was difficult to imagine a better start. But just the beginning, tomorrow is another tough match," the 31-year-old Spaniard continued.
Nadal, who is looking forward to his maiden title in Shanghai, will face Italian player Fabio Fognini in the next round.
Following Nadal played in the central court was world no. 2 Roger Federer, who went through a tight match against world no. 26 Schwartzman of Argentina.
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Switzerland's Roger Federer reacts during the men's singles second round match against Argentina's Diego Schwartzman at 2017 ATP Shanghai Rolex Masters in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 11, 2017. (Xinhua/Fan Jun) |
It was the Swiss legend's fisrt match since his US Open quarter-finals loss to Juan Martin del Potro in September. The 19-time Grand Slam winner converted a break point in the sixth game of the first set, but was broken back right away in the seventh.
The two players fight into the tiebreak in the first set and it was 36-year-old Federer showed his dominance, winning 5 points in a row to take a one-set lead.
The second seed continued his form in the second set, breaking to love in the first game and eventually close the set 6-4, cruising to his first win in Shanghai after 2015.
Awaiting for Federer in the third round is Ukraine's Alexander Dolgopolov, who beat Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-4.
In the other actions, third seed Dimitrov recovered from a 2-4 deficit in the decider and fought back from 6-3 in the tie-break, saving three match points to defeat American Ryan Harrison 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) in a 154-minute fight.
Dimitrov will next meet Sam Querrey, ranking 11th position in the Emirates ATP Race To London, who beat fellow American qualifier Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 7-6(7) on Wednesday.
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