Mutua Madrid Open: Nadal cruises into the round of 16; Berdych staves off Janowicz threat

Rafael Nadal made a breezy start to his campaign, needing less than 90 minutes to oust Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Madrid Masters. Tomas Berdych had a relatively complicated time earning his spot in the last 16. The Czech had to come from behind for a scratchy 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jerzy Janowicz in two hours and 18 minutes. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga needed two tie-breakers to get past Robin Haase 7-6(5), 7-6(2) in an hour and 48 minutes.

Nadal earned his first break points in the second game, but Paire fought off three deuces and two break points to start the match with a laboured hold. The Frenchman though, could not hold off Nadal for too long. After squandering two more break points in the sixth game, Nadal finally converted his next opportunity to take a 4-2 lead.

Paire held serve in the eighth game at love to force Nadal to serve out the set. The first set point came at 40-15 in the ninth game. Even though the first set point was saved, Paire could not protect against the next and Nadal closed the set in the ninth game. Paire earned his first break point of the match in the fourth game, only for Nadal to snatch it away immediately. It was Paire’s birthday but Nadal was in no mood for generosity.

The decisive break came in the ninth game and Nadal converted his first match point to seal his place in the round of 16. “That’s an important victory today,” said Nadal. “Each match in this kind of tournament is very demanding from the first round. He was a very uncomfortable opponent. He makes you play quite badly. He doesn’t give you any rhythm. He has one of the best backhands in the circuit, without any doubt.”

In an earlier contest, Berdych ran away a 4-1 lead only to be reigned back spectacularly by the 24^th ranked Janowicz. The Pole surrendered a break in the fourth game, but got one back on Berdych in the seventh game. In the ensuing tie-break Janowicz broke twice to take a commanding 6-2 lead over Berdych. The Czech managed to save a set point, but the Pole served out to bag the first set.

In the second set, Berdych flew away quickly winning four games in a row from 2-3 to take the second set in 37 minutes. Unfettered by the loss of the second set, Janowicz sought to force the issue in the decider. Berdych had to survive a couple of deuces and a break point in the opening game of the third, before holding serve.

The Pole held to love in the fourth game to assert his readiness for battle. Berdych strung together a sequence of four games from 2-2 in the decider to clinch his place in the last 16 of the tournament. There was a stutter at the end, with Janowicz saving three match points, but Berdych won a fourth to seal the deal. The Czech also claimed his 400^th career victory, just a day after Andy Murray had accomplished the same feat.

Berdych will play Kevin Anderson for a place in the quarters. The 14^th seeded Kei Nishikori set a date with Roger Federer in the next round, when he defeated Victor Troicki 7-5, 6-2. Tommy Haas defeated Tommy Robredo 6-3, 7-5 and has a past Juan Monaco. 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga took out the qualifier Robin Haase 7-6(5), 7-6(2) to set up an intriguing battle with Fernando Verdasco.