A class apart: World number one Rafael Nadal of Spain returns to Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan in their second round match at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Friday. Nadal won in straight sets to reach the third round. – AP/Charles Krupa
Rafael Nadal won the points that mattered most as he beat Denis Istomin in straight sets on Friday and advanced to the third round of the US Open.
Nadal saved all seven break points against him and went on to win 6-2, 7-6 (5), 7-5.
Eight-time major champion Nadal is seeking to complete a career Grand Slam, and he reached the third round at Flushing Meadows for the sixth consecutive year. But he's never been past the semifinals, where he lost in 2008 and 2009.
"I don't want to talk about (winning a title) here now," Nadal said, "because I am five matches away. It’s a lot."
Nadal's night-time win followed the theme of the day as the top-ranked men all won in straight sets.
Andy Murray beat Jamaican Dustin Brown 7-5, 6-3, 6-0, while Spanish pair Fernando Verdasco and David Ferrer also cruised through in straight sets.
Indeed all but one of the 12 seeded men in action Friday won through to round three.
The women's draw was almost as predictable, with defending champion Kim Clijsters, former winner Venus Williams, Sam Stosur and Francesca Schiavone all straight sets winners, along with ex-No.1 Ana Ivanovic and Elena Dementieva.
Nadal's win was down not only to his performance in break points - he hasn't lost one in this tournament - but a marginally lower rate of errors than Istomin, most notably in his improved serve.
"I'm working on my serve all my life. Sometimes, (it) works well. Other times, not working that well," said Nadal, who has changed his service grip. "A few days ago, I started to feel very well with my serve. First two matches, I've served very well. Didn't lose a serve, and that does good for the confidence."
The 39th-ranked Istomin took a 5-1 lead in the second-set tiebreaker with the shot of the evening: he charged from behind the baseline to reach a drop shot and, leaving a 10-foot skid mark in his wake on the blue court, slid into the splits while stretching for a backhand winner.
That was pretty much that for Istomin, who lost the next six points, the set, and an momentum he appeared to gain.
"I was a little bit lucky in the tiebreak of the second set," Nadal said.
If Nadal can add a US Open trophy to his collection, he will become the seventh man with at least one title from each Grand Slam tournament.
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