Djokovic and Nadal survive scare

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and home favourite Rafael Nadal were made to work hard to reach the third round of the Madrid Open yesterday.

Djokovic overcame Spaniard Nicolás Almagro 6-1, 4-6, 7-5, while Nadal endured a three-hour epic with Italy’s Fabio Fognini before progressing 7-6, 3-6, 6-4.

Almagro, ranked 76th, broke Djokovic in the opening game, but the world No2 roared back to win six consecutive games, finishing the last with a tidy drop shot.

The Spaniard, who has never gone beyond the quarter-finals in a grand slam, grew in confidence in the second set, however, with the backing of the home support, and he saved two break points before forcing a deciding set.

An upset looked on the cards when Almagro broke Djokovic at the first attempt in the third set and marched into a 3-0 lead, but the Serb drew on his experience to battle back, breaking the 31-year-old twice before serving out for the match.

Djokovic, who recently split from his coach, Marián Vajda, is trying to regain his best form again ahead of the French Open.

“When you’re not winning too many matches, you have to build up the confidence

Hard day: Rafael Nadal faces Nick Kyrgios next level,” Djokovic said. “So to win the matches like this definitely helps confidence.” Four-times Madrid Open winner Nadal twice bounced back to win the first set in a thrilling tie-break. Fognini played aggressively, however, and forced Nadal on to the defensive as he took the match into a deciding set. After failing to take advantage of one match point, Nadal emerged victorious thanks to two powerful forehands and the 30-yearold world No5 next faces Australian Nick Kyrgios. “I have not played bad, I played really bad,” Nadal said. “It was uncomfortable.”