Nadal, Djokovic Lead Stacked Field In Acapulco

Nadal, Djokovic Lead Stacked Field In Acapulco 

ATP Staff

Four members of the Top 10 in the Emirates ATP Rankings are appearing at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, in what is shaping to be a thrilling week in Acapulco. It is a historic field for the ATP World Tour 500 event, with Top 10 stalwarts Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Marin Cilic and Dominic Thiem leading the pack, alongside the likes of Juan Martin del Potro, David Goffin and Nick Kyrgios.

If Djokovic and Nadal cross paths in Saturday's championship, it would be an unprecedented 50th FedEx ATP Head2Head encounter between the two stars, their first since the Internazionali BNL d'Italia quarter-finals last year. The Spaniard leads a talented bottom half of the draw that also features third seed Cilic, Delray Beach Open champion Jack Sock and #NextGenATP stars Borna Coric and Ernesto Escobedo.

Nadal, who will look to carry the momentum from a runner-up showing at the Australian Open, will be seeking his third title in Acapulco, having triumphed when it was held on clay in 2005 (d. Montanes) and in 2013 (d. Ferrer). He opens against a red-hot Mischa Zverev in a rematch of their encounter at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp last month, won by Nadal 6-1, 6-1.

In another enticing first-round affair, World No. 7 Cilic faces Argentina Open champion Alexandr Dolgopolov. "It's going to be extremely exciting with a lot of great players," said the Croatian. "The crowd in Mexico really deserves to have such a great tournament and I'm just hoping I can produce some good tennis and enjoy the week. It's in a great week this year, just prior to Indian Wells, and everyone loves it here.

Competing in his first tournament since a surprise second-round exit at the Australian Open, World No. 2 Djokovic is the first Top 2 player to enter Acapulco since No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten won the title in 2001. The late addition took a wild card into the draw on Thursday and could face del Potro in what would be a blockbuster second-round encounter. The Serbian, who is making his debut, will have to get through Slovakia's Martin Klizan in the first round on Tuesday. Del Potro opens against a qualifier or lucky loser.

Also in Djokovic's half of the draw is fourth seed and defending champion Thiem, who is coming off a title run on the clay of Rio de Janeiro, fifth seed Goffin, sixth seed Kyrgios and 2016 runner-up Bernard Tomic. Thiem and Goffin could meet in the quarter-finals.

Main draw action in Acapulco gets underway on Monday. Four qualifying spots remain up for grabs in Sunday's final round, with #NextGenATP stars Stefan Kozlov, Jared Donaldson, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz all on the schedule, along with Memphis Open champion Ryan Harrison.

Nadal gets tested on way to QF in Rio

Nadal gets tested on way to QF in Rio
By Jawad Bisharat

Number 1 seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal defeated countryman Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5, 6-3 on Thursday to advance to the quarter finals at the Rio Open.

Carreno Busta drew first blood breaking Nadal to take the lead in the first set. Nadal however broke back, to even the set.  Busta’s saved 3 set points on his serve, but the 23 year old was unable to hold on to the set losing in 73 minutes.

In the second set, Nadal was pushed saving 2 break points. Busta on the other hand could not hold serve and Nadal went on to win the match in over 2 hours.

“I think he played well; he played aggressive,” said Nadal. “I’m happy the way that I played."

Nadal will next face sixth seed Pablo Cuevas, who is coming off a win on Sunday at the Brasil Open 2015 defeating Vanni. Cuevas beat journyman Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-2 in 69 minutes to secure a quarter final match against the best clay court player of all time. 

"Montanes is a great player on this surface; the famous 'Old Fox'," said Cuevas "He definitely was a difficult opponent. I am confident. I was able to play the same as I’ve been doing for the last days, and I was able to prevail in the match. I am happy."

"If my rival is Nadal, it is going to be the first time I face him," he said. "I am in a good moment. I will try to enjoy the match and continue to play the same as I been doing and I wish I can continue with the streak."

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Nadal Wins Rio Opener

RIO OPEN PRESENTED BY CLARO 2015

NADAL WINS RIO OPENER; GOLDEN SWING KING FERRER ADVANCES

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

by ATP Staff

  | 

17.02.2015

© Rio Open/AGIFDavid Ferrer looked comfortable on the clay Tuesday night in Rio.

World No. 3 Rafael Nadal launched his clay-court season with a 6-4, 6-1 win overThomaz Bellucci on Tuesday night at the Rio Open presented by Claro. 

Nadal struck first with a break at 2-all, but Bellucci returned the favour to level the match at 4-all. Nadal would break again one game later, consolidating to claim the first set 6-4.

A run of six straight games for the top seed saw him eventually go up 4-0 in the second set, before the Brazilian was able to hold serve. Serving down 1-5, Bellucci saved two match points before Nadal was able to clinch the victory in 91 minutes.

The Spaniard benefited from his opponent’s 31 unforced errors and struck 13 winners of his own as he advanced to the second round, where he will face compatriotPablo Carreno Busta. 

The 23-year-old Spaniard needed two hours and 27 minutes to win his opening match 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-0 over Carlos Berlocq. 

Earlier, David Ferrer kicked off the evening's Spanish showcase with a 6-4, 6-2 win over countryman and qualifier Daniel Gimeno-Traver.

Ferrer extended his FedEx ATP Head2Head record over the World No. 99 to 3-0 after the 89-minute win. The 32-year-old World No. 9 will meet Thiemo De Bakker in the second round.  

Another Spanish native, Nicolas Almagro, was not so lucky in his Rio opener, falling to No. 6 seed Pablo Cuevas 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes. 

With six titles each, Ferrer and Almagro have tallied the most career championships on Latin America’s Golden Swing, which includes tournaments in Argentina, Brazil (2) and Ecuador during the month of February.