Rafael Nadal

In the editions of last year´s Wimbledon and U.S. Open, the victory went to the Balkan player.

The victory of the Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic on Andy Murray in the semifinals of Open Australia has meant that, for the third consecutive Grand Slam, the final is between the player from Belgrade and Spanish Rafael Nadal.

In the editions of last year´s Wimbledon and U.S. Open, the victory went to the Balkan player in four sets, and his triumph at the All England Club is also allowed to unseat Nadal as world number one.

The precedent for a third Grand Slam final between the two was in the U.S. Open in 2010 and this time the victory went to Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic and Nadal will play this Sunday in Melbourne thirty-faced, with a favorable balance to Spanish of 16 wins for 13 victories last year while Djokovic won in the six times they faced off, all in the end and the three potential surfaces.

In five-set matches, have met on seven occasions, with five wins for Spanish, twice at Roland Garros in a Davis Cup tie at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, while Djokovic wins first last year reached the finals of Wimbledon and U.S. Open.

"At times I played aggressive, I played well but the upside is I fell short. I have been very good points in the standings. I am very happy with everything," he said.

The tennis world number two, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic said that between Andy Murray and in the Australia Open final prefers "that will play worse." "Both are very good players who are doing very well," he added. In any case, if finally out Serbian rival, Nadal said he will try not to remember "Six times I´ve lost him."

As for the pain in his knee, Manacor explained that it was "a moment in the third set." "In a corner, I failed. But it was not the knee, has been in the back, like I do not hold up well in flexion. Then I happened," he said.

Rafa Nadal analyzed the intense match against Roger Federer. "At times I played aggressive, I played well but the upside is I fell short. I have been very good points in the standings. I´m very happy for everything. Now it enjoy and think about the final," he said.

In addition, gushed Federer does: "There are times when you play against him you can not do, as they watch and wait to get into the game. It´s always special to play with him. It´s more than a game."

Rafa Nadal won the match in the Spanish round of the Australia Open after beating Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, on a day that was marked by the intense heat

Feliciano had no options at any time of victory, but also displayed a tennis Nadal fluid in a game at times locked. And they both know too well, have trained together many times and it it supposed clash in the eleventh circuit. Aggressiveness was the main asset of Feliciano to make things difficult for Nadal but he found a pattern of play continued to give him a chance. The Spaniard made very few errors, beat the rhythm with his right, and took advantage of 52 unforced errors to his opponent to settle again its commitment in three sets, after 2 hours and 25 minutes.

In the first round, the player did not have Toledo one of their main weapons, service, and that except for the fifth game, Nadal breaking balls enjoyed in all their serves, exhibiting a great rest. However, the Spaniard was very ineffective in this statistic, since it only took one of nine break points before it, but the break was enough for the third game to take advantage in the match.

The world number two opened the second set with a new break and took an early lead of 2-0, but Feliciano responded with an aggressive and successful tennis that allowed him to turn the marker and be 3-2. But he lacked consistency to put up with his rival, who long had all the points to win. Nadal played with patience and even though in this second set was not as aggressive as in the first, the greatest strength of his tennis manga decanted in their favor after winning a new break in the seventh game.

Nadal broke again began serving Feliciano in the third and finished to undermine the morale of Toledo, which was in front of a mountain impossible to climb, when the breaking point advantage he had in the second game. There are few options for escape fighting his part and gave up the game after signing his best performance in this tournament.

`All you need time and cost changes´, explained the Spaniard His next opponent will be Lukas Lacko of Slovakia, who beat Young

The Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal stood in the third round of Australia Open after defeating veteran player Tommy Haas of Germany 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in 2 hours and 29 minutes of play.

Although the player Balearic his party pushed through in three sets, the fact is he did not play with the fluidity that showed at the start of it and you did a great German tennis Nadal did not let out the meeting with the facility that provided .

And that world number two began to plan sweeping, dominating his opponent with winners and score points easily, allowing him to have his first set point with 5-1 and German service.

At the time Haas became the great player and recalled a few years ago when he was not hobbled by injuries. Not only saved the point, but three straight chained and had break point to even five games.

Nadal seemed to lose the clarity of ideas and exhibited a dense game against an opponent who was coming up at times. But Spanish saved his service and the first set.

In the second race, the Spanish player started making a new break and was very firm with their service. Yielded only four points, which allowed him to move more quietly in the party to join the second set, 6-3

But Haas would not surrender easily and started breaking the serve of the Spanish in the third set, Nadal achieved an advantage that is not wiped until the sixth game. The Spanish took a breath and tighten again when the set came the decisive moment, to end the game.

`The changes cost and need time´

Rafael Nadal said after winning the third qualifying round of the Australia that takes time to assimilate the changes it intends to establish in his game and he is confident that in the coming months will notice the results.

Nadal, this year looks more aggressive in the game, was more unstable in this facet of his game Tommy Haas in the first round, which recognized the player and blamed the need to assimilate these practices and games changes.

"Every change costs, and obviously need to play games with the same line all the time. I think I started with the very clear and then bundled me a bit and I´ve been playing a little further back than that I would have liked. At times I´m back to playing in front at the start of the second set, but then again I went over backwards, "he acknowledged.

"I´m trying to play more aggressive with my right, trying to play later, trying to hit balls that are a tad easier to be a little more definitive, and trying to close the points on the network when I can," he added.

The world number two said that in his first game against Kuznetsov did it "for a long time" and that today at Haas "unless the other day,"

"You have a clear idea in order to maintain this throughout the game, but that´s daily work and training two and a half weeks things do not get it, but training well for a few months the probability of success is high," he said.

Although also wore a bandage on his right knee, Nadal said he has not felt any discomfort and has been able to play without problems.

On the game at Haas, said the Spaniard tennis player who played in a "fantastic" the first seven games of the match, but then made some mistakes, but was fortunate in the tenth game, when Haas had break point to even five games of "make two consecutive aces."

"I started the second set very well again and I can say it was comfortable for me, because I got a `break´ at the beginning, did not suffer with my service and I got a second break with 5-3. Then I played a bad game at the start the third and had to be fighting all the way to go up and then it got, "he said.