Rafael Nadal defeats Peter Gojowczyk to reach China Open quarterfinals, will face Klizan next

Rafael Nadal after his second round win in Beijing

Round 2: Rafael Nadal def. Peter Gojowczyk 6-3 6-4

Rafael Nadal stuttered a bit, but in the end, was too good for Peter Gojowczyk, as he reached the quarterfinals of the China Open with his second straight sets win since his comeback.

Nadal had been out for three months with a right wrist injury, but he was close to 100% today as he dominated play early on in the match.

Nadal started proceedings with three strong serves and followed them up with a clean volley to open with a love hold. Gojowczyk started strongly too, with some flat hitting on both sides. He served a couple of aces and held confidently to level the scores at 1-1.

Nadal’s forehand was particularly impressive as he powdered it on both sides. He reached his first break point on Gojowczyk’s next service game but squandered it with a few loose shots.

Gojowczyk seemed to be on his way to level the scores at 3-3. He was up 40-0 on his serve, but a couple of mistakes from him followed by a forehand winner by Nadal took the score to deuce. Nadal then reached break point when Gojowczyk hit long again, and the Spaniard converted when the German missed a put-away at the net.

Nadal raced ahead to a 5-2 lead, with some brilliant serving yet again. While the German seemed to be rapidly losing confidence, Nadal was gaining momentum with every point.

A powerful backhand return and a forehand winner gave Nadal set point, but he squandered it. Gojowczyk saved another before holding serve for 5-3.

There was no pressure on Nadal as he confidently served out the set with some impressive hitting from the baseline. He took the first set 6-3.

Nadal missed an early opportunity to break Gojowczyk in the opening game of the second set, as he misfired a couple of forehands. After going back and forth between deuce and advantage, with a lot of entertaining rallies and mistimed shots, the 12-minute game ended with an ace from the German.

Nadal held far more easily and in far less time, though he was still making some erratic shots.

Yet another long service game followed for Gojowczyk, but this time Nadal was determined to convert the break. After wasting three break point opportunities, he latched on to the fourth one, forcing an error from Gojowczyk’s racquet to take a 2-1 lead in the second set.

While Nadal had still not been forced to break point on his serve, he was mishitting shots more often than usual and seemed to be frustrated with himself. But that didn’t deter him, as he kept his opponent on the backfoot.

Gojowczyk seemed determined to keep it at one break as both players kept holding serve. Both were hitting the ball hard and clean, but the errors were as prevalent as the winners.

Nadal’s backhand was working really well though, and there seemed to be no signs of the wrist trouble that had sidelined him for three months.

Gojowczyk then made one final push to make Nadal serve for the match, as he saved two match points with a couple of aces.

Closing the match wasn’t as routine as Nadal would have hoped, as he shanked a couple of shots. But Gojowczyk made errors too, unable to put any type of pressure on Nadal. Nadal made a brilliant drop shot to reach match point.

But there were further twists to come. The Spaniard failed to convert and then made a double fault to gift the German his first break point of the match.

Nadal saved it by responding to a net cord return perfectly, but again squandered the advantage by hitting a backhand into the net. A rescue act followed with a solid serve, only to let slip the opportunity again, giving Gojowczyk his third break point.

Nadal saved it again and then beautifully constructed the next point, moving his opponent around the court and forcing the error to reach match point. Nadal tried to pull off a serve and volley for the match, but a weak volley gave Gojowczyk enough time to pass him.

The World No. 2 finally won the match with two strong serves, the VAMOS cry coming as a sign of relief.

Nadal now faces Slovakian Martin Klizan. The two last met in the first round of the Championships at Wimbledon, earlier this year.