Paris: World number two Rafael Nadal saved five match points before overcoming Nicolas Almagro 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 in a thrilling all-Spanish second-round battle at the Paris Masters on Wednesday.
Nadal, who has been hampered by injury worries and has not won a title since last May, looked rusty at first on the fast indoor court of the Bercy hall but then recovered and braved the pain from a blister on his right foot.
Almagro, who had his own problems and received treatment on a sore left thigh during the decisive set, fought until the very end and twice served for the match but clearly struggled to move around the court in the last few games.
The unseeded Almagro was clearly on top in a one-sided first set but the second was a lot tighter, Almagro saving a set point at 5-4 down before breaking Nadal in the next game to serve for the match.
Nadal then saved five match points with some brilliant winners to capture his opponent's serve and force a tiebreak which he won 7-2 before needing treatment for a blister on his right foot.
The pair traded breaks in the decisive set, Almagro serving for the match again at 5-3 before being broken, until Nadal managed the telling break in the eleventh game.
Pain and exhaustion meant Almagro could hardly move when Nadal earned his first match point after three hours and 14 minutes of exciting tennis.
Nadal, who has won the French Open four times on the other side of town but never the Paris Masters, now plays another Spaniard in Tommy Robredo, who moved past former champion Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4.
Serb Novak Djokovic had earlier survived a fightback by Argentine Juan Monaco to win 6-3, 7-5 and reach the third round.
The 22-year-old world number three, who beat world number one Roger Federer in the Basel final on Sunday to win his fourth title this year, next faces Frenchman Arnaud Clement.
Swede Robin Soderling, seeded ninth, kept alive his slim hopes of making the Nov. 22-29 World Tour Finals in London by beating towering Croatian Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 7-6 to set up a third-round match against Russia's Nikolay Davydenko.
The day also witnessed the last game of former world number one Marat Safin, who ended his career with a brave 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 defeat by US Open champion Juan Martin del Porto amid warm cheers from the Paris crowd, who have always loved the gifted but erratic Russian.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, November 12, 2009, 09:46