Rafael Nadal advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2012 Australian Open on Sunday, defeating Feliciano Lopez in straight sets. Nadal played with a heavily taped left ankle and right knee, but seemed to have no trouble against the 18th-ranked Spaniard, winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
Australian Open 2012, Day 7: Rafael Nadal Downs Feliciano Lopez In Straight Sets
Lopez served up 10 aces on the night, averaging 124.4 MPH on his first serves compared to just 108.8 for Nadal. Unsurprisingly, Nadal was much more technically sound throughout the match. Lopez had 50 unforced errors through three sets, compared to just 13 for Nadal. Lopez also hurt himself with six double faults on the night.
Nadal will face the winner between No. 7 Thomas Berdych and No. 10 Nicolas Almagro later in the day. Win there, and he will potentially face Roger Federer in the semifinals, depending on how the Swiss legend fares against Australian title hopeful Bernard Tomic.
For all Day 7 results and updates, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For updates and information on the entire 2012 Australian Open, head over to SB Nation’s tennis hub.
See More:
