Slovakia's Lukas Lacko played the match of his life before the Spanish • In the quarter-finals will take on Latvian Ernests Gulbis
With more work than expected, Rafael Nadal pulled out a commitment to the Slovakian Lukas Lacko, which endorsed the Spanish a 6-0 in the second set and extended to three sets the match, but that solved in the end the world number one to reach the quarter-finals in Doha (7-6 (3), 0-6 and 6-3).
Lacko, which closed last year since 89 of the rankings and, at 23 years, no flashy records (no final ATP), played the match of his life before the Spanish, against that had nothing to lose.
Nadal, who won with authority in the only previous game they had both played in the second round of Australia Open last year (6-2, 6-2, 6-2), he found an opponent grown. With extra motivation and significantly successful. Little to do with his tennis image offered in the first round match in which he won a lot of work to another Spanish Pere Riba (5-7, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4)).
Rafael Nadal confirmed the difficulties that would bring the Central since the beginning of the game. Lacko broke the serve of the Balearic Islands in the third game. Although the world number one made up for the situation immediately. The part arrived the tiebreaker, which said Spanish fluently (7-3).
Finalist last year in Doha suffered after the reaction of the Slovak. Nadal is not used to have situations like the one he submitted his opponent. Extremely wise in his punches, he took the track world number one, who only scored eleven points in the entire part, which failed to join any game.
Rafael Nadal reacted strongly in the final sleeve. He stood 4-0 with a sense of power to return the result. But Lacko had not said its last word. With the impact generated by the Spanish, turned to demand the maximum. He went to 4-3, but could not withstand the final arreón Spaniard, who gave no further concessions and closed the match by breaking in the service of Slovak white (6-3) and after two hours and 18 minutes of play.
Nadal is already in the quarterfinals. Will take on Latvian Ernests Gulbis, who beat Croatia's smooth, from the qualifying round, Antonio Veic, 6-3, 6-1. Moreover, the Russian Nikolay Davydenko, fourth seed, knocked in two sets to Finn Jarkko Nieminen (6-4 and 7-5), to prolong the defense of the title he won last year and reach the quarter-finals in Doha.
Davydenko, who took an hour and 35 minutes to solve the commitment will face in the third round by Croatian Ivo Karlovic, who beat Germany's Phillip Kohlschreiber, eighth favorite, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4) and 7-6 (2).