Article supertennis 19-01-07

Nadal sees positives in gruelling win
Posted on 19 January 2007 - 06:02

Rafael Nadal says he has taken plenty of positives out of needing four long sets to put away German Philipp Kohlschreiber in his second-round match at the Australian Open.

The world number two was kept on court for three and a half hours before finally extinguishing the 61-ranked German, 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 and advancing to the third round in the early hours of Friday.

Nadal will now take on Swiss 31st seed Stanislas Wawrinka on Saturday.

"I am happy with this match. It was very important for me," Nadal said.

"It's a very good test because I finished the match very good physically. The first set I played very good tennis." It was a gruelling physical test early in the season for the 20-year-old Spanish left-hander.

The 12 games of the first set ran for 66 minutes and the second set of nine games was another 52-minute dogfight.

Just when it appeared Nadal would go on and finish the job in straight sets, Kohlschreiber broke his serve three times and lost his own twice to take the match into a fourth set.

Nadal quickly took the upper hand in the last set with two early service breaks to run away with the match.

"Kohlschreiber played a good match. He was playing great tennis.

"I just played bad for the final part of the third set," he said.

"I served bad and played without confidence with my serve and with my forehand and backhand. I missed a lot.

"But I came back very well with very good attitude. I am very happy for that and I feel faster on court than the other days."

Nadal, seeded to face world number one Roger Federer in the final, said he felt better than he did at the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai where he lost to Federer in the semifinals.

"Maybe I improve my tennis here. I feel better here than Shanghai right now. I have good confidence for the next round."

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