Points won by each set: | 32-20, 21-29, 32-19 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
33 % Melzer – 24 of 71
20 % Nadal – 17 of 82
Big surprise: Nadal [1] just triumphed in Tokyo, having not dropped a set in three previous meetings against Melzer [12]. Yet the Austrian, enjoying the best period of his career, had a clear game-plan – to stay aggressive on serve as well as with his groundstrokes, in order to avoid long, gruelling rallies, and it perfectly worked out under the roof. In the decider he thought for a moment he won the match at 5:2* (40/15) when Nadal’s backhand landed in the tramlines – due to the noise of the crowd during the rally, Melzer didn’t hear his stroke was called out. The ball was good as the hawk-eye indicated; as usual in those situations, tough to say whether the linesman’s decision made an impact on Nadal’s shot – Mohamed Lahyani said it did, so the point was repeated without Melzer’s arguing. The Austrian remained calm, and after squandering three match points in that 8th game, he served the match out with four short points.
Points won by each set: | 32-20, 21-29, 32-19 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
33 % Melzer – 24 of 71
20 % Nadal – 17 of 82
Big surprise: Nadal [1] just triumphed in Tokyo, having not dropped a set in three previous meetings against Melzer [12]. Yet the Austrian, enjoying the best period of his career, had a clear game-plan – to stay aggressive on serve as well as with his groundstrokes, in order to avoid long, gruelling rallies, and it perfectly worked out under the roof. In the decider he thought for a moment he won the match at 5:2* (40/15) when Nadal’s backhand landed in the tramlines – due to the noise of the crowd during the rally, Melzer didn’t hear his stroke was called out. The ball was good as the hawk-eye indicated; as usual in those situations, tough to say whether the linesman’s decision made an impact on Nadal’s shot – Mohamed Lahyani said it did, so the point was repeated without Melzer’s arguing. The Austrian remained calm, and after squandering three match points in that 8th game, he served the match out with four short points.
Serve & volley: Melzer 1/2, Nadal 0