Rafael Nadal drops first set but rallies to defeat Rinky Hijikata at US Open
Rafael Nadal drops first set but rallies to defeat Rinky Hijikata at US Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Riding a break point at 5-all in the second set, Rafael Nadal had the wherewithal to claw his way back — and it was in part due to his serve.
Nadal broke twice in the second against Rinky Hijikata in his 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win on the weekend to set up a meeting for the second seed in the Australian Open semifinals.
Nadal has won the past four Aussie Opens, and he has already reached three grand slam finals this season.
“We kept serving well,” Nadal said. “When there’s a break point, we had to serve. It was nice. I think it was the right time to serve, and that’s important. When you serve solid, that’s a good quality and sometimes you feel they have to hit. And when you serve like this, it feels good.”
He also credited his second serve at the crucial moment for a return to victory.
“It’s a good serve,” he said. “I don’t know why they hit the ball good, but it was. It was just good. I think it was the right time to serve and it worked out in favor of our side.”
After a match in which Nadal broke four times, Hijikata broke for 3-1 and led 3-2, although he was broken again to be up 5-4. But Hijikata held Nadal to a break point in the seventh game to tie the match and set up a first-set tiebreak.
After Hijikata lost serve, Nadal broke easily to grab the point and take the set.
“I was on the same spot in the
