Two-time champion Rafael Nadal is into the fourth round at the US Open for the first time since he won the title in 2013, rolling over Andrey Kuznetsov in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
Nadal looked very sharp as he started the match, moving incredibly well and keeping up the aggression as he rushed to a comfortable one set lead in 29 minutes. The second set was more competitive with five breaks of serve in total before the Spaniard managed to claim the set thanks to some bullying forehands and a huge error count from Kuznetsov, whose power play lacked the consistency to trouble Nadal in the end. The Russian continued to fight early in the third set but began to look agitated as his erratic mistakes resulted in missed opportunities and Nadal closed out the match in style.
Nadal in fine form
Both players came out strong in the opening game with Kuznetsov applying early pressure on the Nadal serve. The Russian had opportunities at 15-30 but Nadal fought through a high-intensity first game. Kuznetsov then struggled in his first service game of the match, going for big shots from the baseline in an attempt to hit through Nadal but earning himself more errors than winners. Nadal soaked up the pace and waited for the Kuznetsov error to steal the early break. The world number four would then ease through his next service game with great movement and bullying forehands, being too much for Kuznetsov.
A few flashes of brilliance from Kuznetsov may have temporarily helped his cause, but he was nowhere near consistent enough to do any damage. Nadal in great form plus a string of errors from the Russian's racket gave the fourth seed the double break. The Spaniard had another easy service game, not letting Kuznetsov get any kind of rhythm and dictating points from the outset as he rushes to a 5-0 lead. Kuznetsov got his first hold of the match to avoid the bagel and asked the serve it out question of Nadal, which he answered with some scorching forehands to clinch the set 6-1 in under half an hour with only three unforced errors.
Breaks galore
Better signs started to show for Kuznetsov as he flew through his first service game of the second set. The Russian upped his aggression on the Nadal service game, pushing him back with punishing groundstrokes but the Spaniard doing well to quickly turn defense into attack and hold his serve. Nadal continued to read the game exceptionally well as he would break in the following game, injecting the pace and forcing the error from Kuznetsov at the net. A few errors started to creep into the Spaniard's game as he is unable to consolidate the break. Kuznetsov taking his first break point of the match with the help of some big returns. However, an error-filled game once again from Kuznetsov gave Nadal a break of serve.
The bizarre break-fest continued with another break of the Nadal serve, Kuznetsov taking the break point with a forehand down the line that his opponent would be proud of. The first hold of serve in four games eventually would go the way of Kuznetsov, who saved two break points en route with some massive groundstrokes. Nadal, however, responded with a hold of his own after another tightly contested game and got the crucial break that would allow him to serve for the second set. Kuznetsov hit another great forehand down the line to bring up a break-back point, but Nadal quickly erased it by hitting the same shot. Massive forehands got the two-time champion out of trouble and he took the second set, 6-4.
Closing out in style
Kuznetsov wasn't giving up just yet as he ground out a good hold to start the third set, despite Nadal applying the pressure early; the Russian staying focused to get the hold. The end was in sight for Nadal as he held well and broke in the following game as the errors continue to fly from the racket of the world number 47. Kuznetsov looked to repeat the events of the previous set as he brought up more break points but more errors meant he was unable to take them, and Nadal would ultimately consolidate.
The Russian then started to look agitated, unable to control the erratic errors and the double break would go the way of the world number four. Nadal held with ease and Kuznetsov did the same after another tough game, which left Nadal to serve it out. The Spaniard hurried to a 40-0 lead and three match points that came and went with unforced errors from the forehand, backhand and serve (in the form of a double fault7. Nadal brought up another match point in an incredible rally ending with the Spaniard hitting a tweener lob that landed perfectly on the baseline, followed by an exceptional an overhead smash. Sealing the deal soon thereafter, Nadal would take the match on his fourth match point to make his way into the fourth round.