Nadal back with a bang after seeing off ‘dangerous’ Istomin
ALL the talk of a two-man battle for the US Open title might just be premature after Rafael Nadal announced his return to grand slam tennis last night in emphatic fashion.
Having pulled out during the French Open with a left wrist injury that forced him to miss Wimbledon, Nadal reached the semi-finals at the Olympics and, on the evidence of last night’s 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, he is back.
“Denis is always a dangerous player so I’m very happy to be through,” said Nadal.
“The most important thing is I am here in New York and that makes me happy. Injuries are part of the career, but my wrist is improving.”
Performing at the highest level in seven best-of-five set matches – which he will need to do if he is to win the title – might be a stretch but no one will take him lightly, even if he continues to say that he is feeling a little pain in his wrist.
The important thing for Nadal, champion in 2010 and 2013, is that the pain is receding slightly every day and against Istomin, he looked solid as he romped into the second round in the kind of blisteringly hot conditions he loves.
Istomin battled back from a break down to level at 4-4 in the second set and pushed for another break but Nadal shut down the danger, closed out the set and then cruised through the third.
Women’s No.2 Angelique Kerber, who could overtake Serena Williams at the top this fortnight, eased through when her opponent, Polona Hercog, withdrew through sickness when trailing 6-1, 1-0.
Williams, however, is “painfree” as she begins her bid to win a record 23rd grand slam according to her coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Williams pulled out of a tournament in Cincinnati last week with a shoulder problem that had also hampered her at the Olympics earlier this month.
“She has been pain-free for a few days now,” said Mouratoglou. “The shoulder is still not 100 per cent but it’s very close.”
The world No.1 faces Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova today.