Rafael Nadal into the 4th round of Australian Open

Rafael Nadal beats Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in two hours and 50 minutes to enter the fourth round of men’s singles of the Australian Open 2022 here at the Rod Laver Arena. The 20-time grand slam champion Nadal started on a confident note not only holding his serve but breaking his opponent Karen Khachanov’s serve in the second game of the match to take a 3-0 lead. in the second set too, Nadal broke his opponent’s serve in the very first game fighting his way as there were seven deuces in the game which the Spaniard finally won. Nadal broke him again in the fifth game and pocketed the second set 6-2.

Just when it seemed that Nadal would take the match away in straight sets the Russian Karen Khachanov fought back to take the third set and stop the momentum. But Nadal bounced back with a break in the fourth set with a laser down-the-line backhand winner which prompted a screaming fist-pumping celebration.

It was all Nadal from there to take the match as he reached the round of 16 in Melbourne for the 15th time, and his 51st in Grand Slams Nadal seeking to claim a record 21st Grand Slam title in the absence of his rival’s Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Nadal will face 18th seed Aslan Karatsev or Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the round of 16.