Nadal downs Schuettler, moves to Round 2

Chennai, Jan 2 (UNI) Top seed and hot favourite World number 2 Rafael Nadal of Spain warmed up for challenges ahead with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Rainer Schuettler of Germany to enter the second round of the Chennai Open ATP Tennis tournament here tonight.

The match began as an absorbing contest but fizzled out in the second set. Nadal's exburance and overall court craft proved too hot to handle for the experienced German, who threw in the towel the moment he dropped serve in the first game of the second set.

It was a contest between a 20-year-old boy, who rose to stardom in a short time, and a 30-year-old man, who has loads of experience, though there were unforced errors galore in the first set.

It turned out a battle of wits and Nadal had to bring off his best at crucial junctures to win points. In the first set Scheuttler staved off two break points to hold serve.

The double-fisted backhands of Nadal and the punishing forehand winners from the racquet of the German drew the crowd to its feet.

Down the line winners and cross court winners of Nadal put Schuettler in a spot of bother, but the German responded with some stinging serves and chose to slug it out from the baseline.

The set saw some long rallies and breathtaking returns and things were not that easy for the Spaniard as predicted.

Nadal dropped serve in the sixth game when he sank a drop shot into the net at 30-40 before breaking back Schuettler in the next.

The Spaniard broke Scheuttler again in the ninth game, converting the fourth break point and served out the set with a dipping serve.

It was Nadal all the way the moment Schuettler dropped serve committing a pair of errors and he held serve for a 2-0 lead.

Schuettler struggled to hold serve in the third and thereafter it was a mere formality.

Nadal blasted his way pounding winners on both flanks and his double-fisted backhand cross-court shots proved his strong weapon.

Schuettler dropped serve for the second time in the set in the fifth game giving a 4-1 lead before Nadal served it out in style with an excellent back hand crosscourt winner from the base line.

UNI