Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 21, 2022 Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts during his third round match against Russia’s Karen Khachanov REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake

January 21, 2022

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Sixth seed Rafa Nadal dropped his first set at this year’s Australian Open but still powered through to the fourth round with a 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1 defeat of Karen Khachanov on Friday.

The Spaniard, seeking to claim a record 21st Grand Slam title in the absence of great rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, was sensational as he took a two-set lead.

But Khachanov, seeded 28th, threw caution to the wind in the third set, stalling Nadal’s charge with some ferocious hitting.

Olympic runner-up Khachanov had lost all seven previous meetings with 2009 Australian Open champion Nadal but briefly looked capable of mounting a comeback.

Nadal seized back control with a break of serve at the start of the fourth and with the clock having ticked past midnight he finished off the match in a hurry.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)


Source: One America News Network

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