World number two Rafael Nadal accelerated his pursuit of a record 21st Grand Slam title Saturday with a testing victory over Cameron Norrie in an Australian Open battle of the left-handers.
The Spanish second seed has altered his service motion due to lower-back tightness, but it didn’t stop him emphatically demolishing his first two opponents in straight sets.
Britain’s 69th-ranked Norrie proved a tougher assignment, with Nadal pressed much harder before emerging a 7-5, 6-2, 7-5 winner in an empty Rod Laver Arena as Melbourne went into a five-day coronavirus lockdown.
It put him into a Slam last 16 for the 49th time, behind only Roger Federer (67) and Novak Djokovic (53).
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Keep on reading: Nadal wins in straights set to keep Grand Slam dream alive