Rafael Nadal stormed into the fourth round of the Australian Open without dropping a set, and sent a cruel warning to Novak Djokovic that his worries were no more.
With Djokovic under a large cloud of injuries with a suspected torn muscle Nadal sent British player Cameron Norrie 7-5 6-2 7-5 on Saturday night.
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The door to a record 21st Grand Slam singles title now seems to Nadal strong on point, with Roger Federer absent and Djokovic struggling.
While the Spaniard was worried about his own injuries early in the tournament, he said on Saturday night that his back was much better in a cool warning to his rivals.
“No, the back did not get better every day – it got better today,” he said with a smile.
“But today is better, yes. First day I feel an improvement, and that’s the most important thing to me today, more than any other thing.”
Nadal is currently tied with Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles, with the younger Djokovic on his heels with 17.
A title in Melbourne will help improve Nadal’s true everyday status in the sport, the clay moon maestro’s only Norman Brookes Challenge Cup returning in 2009.
On Friday night, Djokovic said he was ‘sad and worried’ that he would not be able to play his clash with Milos Raonic in the fourth round.
“I know it’s a tear, I do not know if I will be able to recover from it within two days,” Djokovic said after his titanic five-fight battle with Taylor Fritz.
“I do not know if I will be able to get to court, I do not know.
“I honestly do not know how I won that game. I am very proud and sad and worried at the same time.”
Nadal starts with Fabio Fognini
World No. 69 Norrie refused to be intimidated by Nadal and went most of the first set against the toes with the 34-year-old.
He fixes the first break – only to be immediately broken back – and goes to 5-6 before Nadal puts his foot down to claim the set.
Nadal struck two breaks in the second round before another close call in the third where Norrie turned over again at 5-6 to give up the match.
The victory also continued Nadal’s remarkable record against fellow left-handers.
He last lost by one in 2017 when he was beaten by Canadian Denis Shapovalov, and the victory made it 16 on the run.
His victory is a fourth round meeting with Fabio Fognini, who eliminated the last Australian man in the field, Alex de Minaur, in straight sets.
The two have something of a checkered history, dating from a spit – mainly directed by Fognini – at the Hamburg Open in 2015.
But Nadal said his relationship with a player known to be on the wrong side of another tour – including his fellow Italian Salvatore Caruso in the second round in Melbourne – was now ‘very good’.
“Of course we had our story on the court a few years ago, but no problem after that,” he said of Fognini, who has won four of their 16 matches.
“If he plays well, he is without a doubt one of the most dangerous opponents on tour.”
with AAP
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