Wimbledon: Nadal needs five sets, lots of treatment, but finally advances to fourth round

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Second-seeded Rafael Nadal was treated for a sore arm and a sore thigh. He had a running argument with chair umpire Cedric Mourier about whether he was or wasn’t receiving coaching from the stands from his Uncle Tony Nadal, whose constant chattering Nadal said he had no control over.

And most of all, the second-seeded Spaniard was being pushed by the relentless power of German Philipp Petzschner, who was seeded 33rd and seemed not at all intimidated by playing the 2008 Wimbledon champion on Centre Court.

It took Nadal over four hours to advance to Wimbledon’s fourth round after his 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3 win over the 26-year-old German. It was Nadal’s second straight five-set match, and if there was a body part that wasn’t aching on the 24-year-old Spaniard it was hard to tell after the fourth set.

But in the fifth Nadal began grunting with new enthusiasm and in the final game, when he was serving for the match, Nadal blasted consecutive service winners, and two more serves so tricky that what Petzschner could offer in return was only good enough for Nadal to easily hit winners from. Nadal now has a 14-3 career record in five-set matches.

-- Diane Pucin in Wimbledon, England