New World number one Rafael Nadal sets up Nick Kyrgios quarter-final in Cincinnati
The 31-year-old beats Spanish compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 at the Western & Southern Open
Top seed Rafael Nadal defeated fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas in straight sets to set up a mouth-watering Western & Southern Open quarter-final against Australian Nick Kyrgios.
Nadal made a flurry of uncharacteristic errors in the first set on Friday, but settled down in the second and ultimately cruised to a 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 victory on a humid, gusty day at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre in Cincinnati.
“It was very warm and the ball was flying a lot. It was difficult to control,” said Nadal. “Probably during the night it will be slower conditions.”
The match was one of several postponed by a day due to rain, forcing players that advanced during Friday’s daytime matches to return for an encore in the evening.
Nadal dug himself out of a 40-0 hole early in the second set by reeling off five straight points including two aces to put himself up 3-2.
The 31-year-old Spaniard, who will for the fourth time in his career be the world number one when the ATP rankings come out next week, never looked back from there.