Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, world number 1, sharpened his serve and swept Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 6-2, 6-1 in Perth (Australia) in an ATP Cup match, which gave Spain the victory over Uruguay , his second in this competition.
The winner of 19 Grand Slams signed 26 winning strokes and 7 direct aces against the N.45 of the ATP ranking, keys for Spain to add their second win of the day, after Roberto Bautista, N.10, beat Franco Roncadelli by 6 -1, 6-2.
On Wednesday Spain will face Japan knowing that if they win they will qualify for the ATP Cup qualifiers that will take place in Sydney, while if they lose they will have to wait for other results to see if they are still alive in the tournament.
“I played better than the other day and it is a very positive victory against an opponent I have a lot of respect for,” said Nadal.
After debuting in the ATP Cup on Saturday with a tight 7-6 (7/5) and 7-6 (7/6) victory over South African Kevin Anderson, Serbian Novak Djokovic dominated French Gael Monfils 6- 3 and 6-2, despite the intense heat and humidity making the victory tougher than the score suggests.
“It was definitely one of the wettest conditions I’ve had in my career. It was brutal, “confessed the number 2 in the world.
Djokovic’s victory served to tie the duel against France, after Benoit Paire beat Dusan Lajovic (6-2, 6-7 (6/7), 6-4) in the first match of the day, and led the Balkans would finally win after Djokovic and Viktor Troicki beat France’s Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 10-3 in the doubles match.
Apart from Spain and Serbia, Japan, Croatia, South Africa and Austria won this Monday.
The Central European team beat Argentina in two close matches. World number four Dominic Thiem beat the tough Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) in Sydney shortly after Dennis Novak came back from Guido Pella (N.25) and celebrated his triumph by 0-6, 6-4 and 6-4.
The victory over the Argentines allows Austria to remain alive in the E bracket, after falling in their first match against Croatia.
South Africa, on their side, crushed Chile 3-0. In the individual matches, Lloyd Harris (6-4, 6-4) and Kevin Anderson (6-0, 6-3) did not give Nicolás Jarry and Christian Garín a choice respectively.
– Results of the day of the ATP Cup, a tournament that is played by teams in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, on hard surface and that distributes 15 million dollars in prizes
. In sydney
Group E
Croatia 2 – 1 Poland
Marin Cilic (CRO) defeated Kacper Zuk (POL) 7-6 (10/8), 6-4
Hubert Hurkacz (POL) bt Borna Coric (CRO) 6-2, 6-2
Ivan Dodig / Nikola Mektic (CRO) bt Hubert Hurkacz / Lubasz Kubot (POL) 6-2, 6-1
Austria – Argentina 3 – 0
Dennis Novak (AUT) to Guido Pella (ARG) 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Dominic Thiem (AUT) to Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3)
Oliver Marach / Jurgen Meltzer (AUT) to Máximo Gonzalez / Andrés Molteni (ARG) 6-1, 6-4
. In brisbane
Group A
South Africa – Chile 3 – 0
Lloyd Harris (RSA) defeated Nicolas Jarry (CHI) 6-4, 6-4
Kevin Anderson (RSA) bt Christian Garín (CHI) 6-0, 6-3
Raven Klaasen / Ruan Roelofse (RSA) to Christian Garín / Nicolás Jarry (CHI) 1-6, 6-3, 10-7
Serbia – France 2 – 1
Benoit Paire (FRA) bt Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4
Novak Djokovic (SRB) bt Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-3, 6-2
Novak Djokovic / Viktor Troicki (SRB) bt Nicolas Mahut / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 10-3
. In perth
B Group
Japan – Georgia 2 – 1
Go Soeda (JPN) defeated Aleksandre Metreveli (GEO) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 6-2, 6-3
Aleksandre Bakshi / Zura Tkemaladze (GEO) bt Ben McLachlan / Toshihide Matsui (JPN) 6-2, 6-4
Spain – Uruguay 3 – 0
Roberto Bautista (ESP) to Franco Roncadelli (URU) 6-1, 6-2
Rafael Nadal (ESP) to Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-2, 6-1
Pablo Carreño Busta / Feliciano López (ESP) to Ariel Behar / Juan Martin Fumeaux (URU) 6-1, 3-6, 10-3. AFP