Nadal survives epic second-round battle at Paris Masters

In a match that topped the three-hour mark, an off-form Nadal
benefited from Almagro's errors on crucial points and also was given
a boost when his opponent began battling leg cramps late in the
third set.

Almagro will surely rue his missed chances, as he had five match
points on his own serve at 6-3, 6-5 but was unable to capitalize.
The 27th-ranked Spaniard dominated most of the match against an
out-of-sorts Nadal, who struggled to find his rhythm and relied
almost entirely on defensive scrambling to win points.

The world No. 2 was playing his first match at the indoor,
hard-court event almost a month after losing to Russia's Nikolay
Davydenko in the final of the Shanghai ATP Masters.

The lack of match play was evident, as Nadal was at Almagro's
mercy from the baseline during much of the encounter.

Frequently firing serves in excess of 200 kilometers (124 miles)
per hour, Almagro won the first set by breaking Nadal in the sixth
game and comfortably holding his own serve. It was the first set
Almagro had won against the world No. 2 in five matches.

He also looked to be the superior player in the second set,
although Nadal showed his fighting spirit to stay alive despite
playing well below par. Almagro was erratic on the big points and
that proved costly in the 12th game.

Despite being down 40-0 and facing a total of five match points,
Nadal fought back to force a second-set tiebreaker, which he won
7-2.

The deciding set then proved to be a see-saw affair, with Nadal
breaking Almagro's serve in the opening game before losing three
games in a row to trail 3-1.

The world No. 2 fought back, however, and tied the set at 3-3 and
then seemed to have the match in hand when Almagro began suffering
from severe cramps in his right thigh.

But in yet another twist, Almagro, after receiving treatment from
the trainer, proceeded to hold his serve and then break Nadal for a
5-3 lead and a chance to serve for the match once again.

But the cramps were too severe and Almagro was unable to hold
serve and then proceeded to drop the three ensuing games to lose in
agonizing fashion.

Almagro left to a standing ovation, the disappointment visible on
his face, while Nadal was clearly displeased with his performance
and is fully aware he will have to pick up his level drastically to
have any chance at this late-season event.

"The normal thing in this match would have been to lose and I won
and that's very good. To win when you're playing badly is an
important skill that I've had throughout my career; it's important
not to lose that," Nadal said.

"I've shown that if there's something not to worry about it's my
attitude, which was good at all times, even playing quite a poor
match. I'm not worried about my game, although (I am worried) about
my game in this tournament, which is going to be difficult because
when things start badly it's always tough to get your rhythm."

Next up for the world's second-ranked player will be another
countryman, Tommy Robredo, who eliminated Czech Tomas Berdych 6-4,
6-4.

In another second-round match Wednesday involving a Spanish
player, Alberto Montañes fell to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1, 7-5.

Among the Latin American contingent, Chile's Fernando Gonzalez
defeated American John Isner 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), Argentina's Juan Martin
Del Potro edged Russia's Marat Safin 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 and Argentine
Juan Monaco fell to Serbian Novak Djokovic 6-3, 7-5. EFE

lmpg/mc

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