World number one Rafael Nadal reached the fourth round of the men’s singles event at ongoing Australian Open after defeating Pablo Carreno Busta at the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, while Dominic Thiem also extended his journey in Melbourne.
The veteran Spanish defeated his countrymate in straight sets 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to continue his bid to equal Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam title. Nadal looked in great shape as he called the contest against Busta one his best match of the tournament so far en route to his 13th fourth-round appearance in the year’s first Major.
Nadal broke the opening serves of Busta in the first and second set and repeated the same in the fifth game of the final set of the match. The 19-time Majors winner scored 35 winners in comparison to his 27th seed opponent’s 17, while committing only six unforced errors.
Nadal is in line for a mouth-watering Round of 16 clash with Nick Kyrgios, who had called the 33-year-old “super salty”.
World number five Thiem, meanwhile, continued his hard-fought campaign by defeating American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4 at the Margaret Court Arena to reach the fourth round of Australian Open for the third time. In the preceding round he came on top of an exhausting five-setter against Australian Alex Bolt.
The 26-year-old Thiem saved six of seven break points against the 29th seed, who was trying to reach his first Round of 16 at a Grand Slam. This was his third win at a Grand Slam over the 22-year-old after defeating him twice at the US Open.
Thiem will ply his trade for the quarterfinals against Gael Monfils in the next round. The 10th seed French Latvian Ernests Gulbis 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-3 at the Melbourne Arena.