Nadal beats Nalbandian in 3 sets at US Open

Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to David Nalbandian of Argentina during the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to David Nalbandian of Argentina during the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

David Nalbandian of Argentina wipes his face during his match against Rafael Nadal of Spain during the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to David Nalbandian of Argentina during the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to David Nalbandian of Argentina during the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

David Nalbandian of Argentina serves to Rafael Nadal of Spain during the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Defending champion Rafael Nadal overcame a blister on his right foot and two tight sets Sunday to beat 2002 Wimbledon runner-up David Nalbandian 7-6 (5), 6-1, 7-5 and reach the U.S. Open's fourth round.

The 76th-ranked Nalbandian went up a break in the fifth game and served for the first set at 5-4, but he double-faulted on break point. Then, at 3-all in the tiebreaker, Nalbandian double-faulted again, helping the second-seeded Nadal nose ahead.

Nalbandian broke to begin the third set, but Nadal broke right back to 1-1, then took an injury timeout after that game to have his right foot taped because of the blister.

"Every day is tougher and tougher," Nadal said in an on-court interview after the match.

He played far more cleanly and finished with only 18 unforced errors, 42 fewer than Nalbandian's total.

For a spot in the quarterfinals, Nadal will face 68th-ranked Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, who hit 23 aces in his 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Igor Kunitsyn of Russia.

Muller is playing at Flushing Meadows for the first time since reaching the quarterfinals as a qualifier in 2008.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-09-04-TEN-US-Open-Nadal/id-b54eed9f33f1426faaf88618d6104fe9

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