 |
| Rafael Nadal joins a small group of 11 players headed by Jimmy Connors (1,535) to have played at least 1,000 matches |
Rafa Nadal celebrated his 1,000th tour level match with a come-from-behind victory over German veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber to reach the fourth round of the Miami Open on Sunday.
World number 31 Kohlschreiber was on fire early, ripping through the first set in only 21 minutes but fifth seed Nadal flipped the switch and turned the match on its head to prevail 0-6 6-2 6-3 on the main stadium hard court at Crandon Park.
It was the first time Nadal had failed to win a game in the first set of an ATP tour match since 2008, the ATP said.
The 30-year-old Spaniard ignited the near-capacity crowd with a typically determined comeback to clinch his 822nd career victory.
He joins a small group of 11 players headed by Jimmy Connors (1,535) to have played at least 1,000 matches.
โOne thousand matches is a lot of matches. Obviously thatโs good news because that says I am having a long career,โ Nadal told reporters.
โDuring a lot of years, I heard that Iโm going to have a short career, so itโs something important for me. I remember the first match very well because it was at home in Mallorca. It was my first victory on the ATP and was a great feeling.โ
Nadal said he had not done much wrong in the first set against an opponent who was in the zone.
โHe was doing everything good, so thatโs sport. I lose the set because he was playing too good. Thatโs it.
โBut a match is long and the positive thing is I held the pressure well this afternoon after a very tough first set. I resisted well in the first few games of the second set and then I think I played a great second and third set.โ
While Nadal played in the relative comfort of the late afternoon, Kei Nishikori also took three sets and nearly three hours to advance under a high noon sun, outlasting Spainโs Fernando Verdasco 7-6(2) 6-7(5) 6-1.
Nishikori, the runner-up to Novak Djokovic last year, fired 37 winners but Verdasco, aided by persistent swirling winds, used his varying pace and depth to rattle Japanโs number one, inducing 48 unforced errors.
Milos Raonic withdrew before his match against American qualifier Jared Donaldson, blaming a persistent hamstring injury.
โItโs related to the previous injury I sustained almost four weeks agoโฆ in Delray Beach,โ the Canadian told reporters.
Raonic said he would not return to the tour until he felt 100 percent fit.
โThat could be in two weeks, that could be a little bit longer.โ
