Watch highlights of Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev winning their opening matches on Tuesday at the China Open in Beijing. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com. Photo: China Open/VCG.
Rafael Nadal returned to tour-level action with a dramatic victory on Tuesday, saving two match points to oust Frenchman Lucas Pouille 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-5 at the China Open in Beijing. The top-seeded Spaniard was down 4/6 in the second-set tie-break, but won four consecutive points to even the match at one set-all. In the decider, Nadal earned his lone break of the match in the 11th game and served out the first-round contest a game later to 15. “[It] was a very tough first round, as I say the other day. He played well, I think. Very aggressive. He's serving well. For me was little bit difficult at the beginning. Then I started to play better. But still, I didn't...
It has been one of the best years of Rafael Nadal’s career on the ATP World Tour. The Spaniard has won his 10th Roland Garros, the US Open, advanced to the Australian Open final and re-claimed his spot atop the Emirates ATP Rankings. Yet, there is no chance that he would look past this week’s China Open in Beijing. “Every tournament is important,” Nadal said. “Every time that I go to any event, my goal is try to play my best and to try to go for everything, no?” Perhaps it is that focus and determination that has helped propel the 31 year old to the top of the Emirates ATP Race To London, already clinching his spot in the...