Australian Open 2022: Rafael Nadal Enters Fourth Round With A Four-Set Win Over Khachanov

Nadal has won 20 Grand Slam titles and is aiming for his 21st title


Rafael Nadal has advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory over No. 28-seeded Karen Khachanov.

Nadal defeated the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in 2 hours and 50 minutes.

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. The 2009 Australian Open champion won the opening set 6-3.

In the second set 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 will take the match away in straight sets the Russian clawed his way back breaking the Spaniard in the fourth game of the third set to take a crucial 3-1 lead. Both the players held their serves from there as the third set ended 6-3 in Karen Khachanov’s favour.

Karen Khachanov’s comeback in the match came in as a ray of hope for the Russian but his effectiveness did not last long as in the fourth set sixth seed Nadal held his serve and broke him in the next one to race to a 3-0 lead.

The 2009 champion broke the Russian for the second time in the fourth set to take a 5-1 lead and serve for the match to win it 6-1.

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