Rafael Nadal is through to the third round of the US Open despite a performance that had his beaten opponent claiming the Spaniard is below his best. The six-time Grand Slam event winner was happy to face a challenge in the second round before ousting Germany's Nicolas Kiefer 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Nadal's win meant this is the first Grand Slam tournament in the 41-year Open era with the top 16 men into the third round. In that third round, Nadal will meet compatriot Nicolas Almagro.
Perhaps rusty after a long layoff, perhaps still dealing with pain even if he says he is all right, the No. 3-seeded Nadal struggled at times on Friday. "Was a very good practice for me, no?" Nadal said, calling the match "a very good test". Things did not come easily for Nadal, who is trying to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the US Open for the first time. "He was getting a little bit tired. I could see it, I could feel it. He didn't move so good," Kiefer said. "But at the end of the day, it doesn't count if you play good or bad. A win is a win, a loss is a loss."
Meanwhile Serena Williams has withstood a strong test from Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the fourth round. It was an awkward match in Arthur Ashe Stadium for defending champion Williams, full of counterpunches from the game's biggest power hitter. "I heard a guy in the crowd saying, `Stop hitting lobs', so I didn't hit any more lobs after that," Williams said.
"My lob was not working today." Receiving at 5-all in the first set, Williams chipped back serves, made a few passing shots and found herself at deuce for the eighth time in a game that lasted 12 minutes. Martinez Sanchez finally wore out, double-faulting twice in a row to give up the break and, essentially, the match.
Men Second Round Andy Murray (2), Britain, def. Paul Capdeville, Chile, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2. Rafael Nadal (3), Spain, def. Nicolas Kiefer, Germany, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Juan Martin del Potro (6), Argentina, def. Jurgen Melzer, Austria, 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-3. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (7), France, def. Jarkko Nieminen, Finland, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. Gilles Simon (9), France, def. Thomaz Bellucci, Brazil, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Fernando Gonzalez (11), Chile, def. Josselin Ouanna, France, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4. Gael Monfils (13), France, def. Andreas Beck, Germany, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3. Marin Cilic (16), Croatia, def. Jesse Levine, United States, 4-6, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-0. Tomas Berdych (17), Czech Republic, def. Horacio Zeballos, Argentina, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2), 6-2. David Ferrer (18), Spain, lost to Jose Acasuso, Argentina, 6-3, 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2. Juan Carlos Ferrero (24), Spain, def. Philipp Petzschner, Germany, 1-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. Viktor Troicki (30), Serbia, lost to Julien Benneteau, France, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. Nicolas Almagro (32), Spain, def. Robby Ginepri, United States, 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Women Third Round Serena Williams (2), United States, def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Spain, 6-3, 7-5. Venus Williams (3), United States, def. Magdalena Rybarikova, Slovakia, 6-2, 7-5. Vera Zvonareva (7), Russia, def. Elena Vesnina (31), Russia, 6-2, 6-4. Victoria Azarenka (8), Belarus, lost to Francesca Schiavone (26), Italy, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Flavia Pennetta (10), Italy, def. Aleksandra Wozniak, Canada, 6-1, 6-1. Li Na (18), China, def. Maria Kirilenko, Russia, 6-4, 6-2. Daniela Hantuchova (22), Slovakia, def. Vania King, United States, 6-2, 6-2. Francesca Schiavone (26), Italy, def. Victoria Azarenka (8), Belarus, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Elena Vesnina (31), Russia, def. Vera Zvonareva (7), Russia, 6-2, 6-4. *AP