By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, July 28, 2015
In his first match since Wimbledon on July 2, Rafael Nadal won 12 of the final 14 games defeating Fernando Verdasco, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1, in Hamburg.
Photo credit: Tennis Championships am Rothenbaum
The sound of rain pelting off the retractable roof and the sight of Fernando Verdasco pounding his forehand into the corners conspired against Rafael Nadal. Down a set and facing three break points, the King of Clay was pushed around like an intruder for the first 45 minutes today.
Struggle still rouses Rafa into action.
The top seed tugged on his wrist band, dug in with determination and reclaimed control of a familiar rival. Sluggish at the start, Nadal revved up the depth and pace of his shots powering through 12 of the last 14 games in a 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Verdasco in his Hamburg opener.
Video: Nadal Makes Doubles Return
Playing his first Hamburg singles match since he beat Roger Federer to win the title seven years ago, Nadal started slowly and looked tentative at times. He found his range and rhythm withstanding the 12-minute opener of the second set and was recharged by the skirmish.
The only Top 20 player in the field will face either left-hander Jiri Vesely or 58th-ranked Andreas Haider-Maurer for a quarterfinal spot. Vesely and Haider-Maurer split sets before rain forced suspension of play on the outer courts.
In his first match since falling to Dustin Brown in the Wimbledon second round on July 2, Nadal struggled to shake off the rust and a lefty opponent who troubled him in recent meetings, including winning their last meeting on hard court in Miami last March. Nadal won the toss, elected to receive and was rewarded for the choice. Curling a running forehand crosscourt gave Nadal break point. On the 18th shot of the next rally, Verdasco hooked a forehand wide gifting the break.
Nearly a month of inactivity combined with nerves inhibited the top seed at the start. Nadal, who had thumped the ball in warm-up, left some shots hanging near mid-court and paid the price. Retreating further behind the baseline, Nadal spun some loopy forehands short in the court, Verdasco stepped in and punished a forehand winner breaking back for 1-1.
Striking with more conviction and a greater willingness to drive the ball down the line, Verdasco applied pressure in the sixth game. Anticipating Nadal's favored wide serve on the ad side, Verdasco hit a scorching forehand return winner for a second break. When Nadal netted a forehand, Verdasco had his third straight game and a 5-2 lead after 29 minutes.
Serving for the set, Verdasco dabbed a touch volley to open the game and earned double-set point on Nadal's eighth forehand error. Verdasco closed the 37-minute opener, forcing the issue with his forehand. He played more proactive tennis hitting 10 winners compared to his opponent's three.
Stepping forward and pushing Nadal on the stretch, Verdasco curled a forehand crosscourt for break point in the first game of the second set. Nadal used a spinning body serve to deny it. The nine-time Roland Garros champion saved a second break point and was poised to close the game with an angled drop volley, but Verdasco swooped in and shoveled a forehand for a third break point. Nadal eventually grinded through a 12-minute game that featured a time violation warning and some fine retrievals from both, ending with Nadal tomahawking a smash.
Break-point strength key to the comeback: Nadal negated seven of nine break points he faced.
That struggle empowered the wild card who broke for 2-0. Dancing around his backhand and firing his forehand with more vicious intent, Nadal began wrenching control of rallies. Pushed back, Verdasco brain-cramped netting a timid forehand drop shot from behind the baseline as Nadal broke again for 4-0. He held at love for 5-0. Zapping an inside-out forehand for triple set point, Nadal sealed the 37-minute set on a twisting wide serve to level. That 12-minute hold to open the set served as the springboard for the top seed to roll right through.
Down 0-30 in the second game, Nadal reeled off seven consecutive points as the rain pelted the retractable roof with increasing intensity. Percussive rapping of Nadal's forehand finally coaxed the error. He broke for 2-1. Verdasco wasn't done. A flat forehand down the line gave him break point, a prelude to a crackling rally that saw Nadal make several defensive digs, drawing a backhand into net. He eventually held for 3-1. Cranking his forehand with punishing intent, Nadal scored his fifth break for 4-1.
Nadal saved three break points, including soaring for a sky hook off a tough lob, holding for 5-1. When Verdasco knocked a backhand into net on the third match point, Nadal was through in one hour, 56 minutes, raising his Hamburg record to 12-2.