Nadal and Roddick advance at Sony Ericsson Open
On Sunday at the Sony Ericsson Open, Rafael Nadal got back to being Rafael Nadal. Although it has been 10 months since he last won a tournament, Nadal was brilliant and rallied from a one set deficit to defeat David Nalbandian, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-2. It wasn’t just that Nadal was victorious that was impressive. It was the way he won. He seems to be regaining some of his swagger. With the clay-court season approaching, the four-time French Open champion seems to be hitting his stride at the right time.
Nadal will next face fellow Spaniard David Ferrer who beat Ivo Kalrlovic 7-6 (5), 6-3. He remains on course for a semifinal showdown with Andy Roddick.
The number six-ranked Roddick, reached the round of 16 by disposing of Sergei Staghovski easily 6-2, 6-1.
In other action on Sunday, Olivier Rochus, who upset Novak Djokovic in the second round, had his luck run out and lost to number 27-ranked Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 6-4. Number 12-ranked Juan Carlos Ferrero beat America John Isner 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
On the women’s side, advancing to the fourth round were Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters. If they both continue to win, they will meet in the semifinals. Number two-seeded Caroline Wozniacki and the defending champion at this tournament, Victoria Azarenka also won.
The unseeded Henin, who recently returned to the tour after a 20-month retirement, 26th-ranked Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 6-4. Clijsters, seeded 14th, needed only 51 minutes to beat number 17th-ranked Shahar Peer 6-0, 6-1. Wozniacki, who was under the weather still managaed to rally to beat number 32-ranked Maria Kirilenko 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.
The number four-seeded Azarenka beat Lucie Safarova 6-4, 6-2.
