Rafael Nadal ramped up for his Australian Open title tilt with victory in the Melbourne Summer Set final over an American qualifier
First-time ATP Tour finalist Maxime Cressy cheekily suggested after his semi-final victory that he had the game to beat Rafael Nadal.
The comment was laced with a grin but the French-born American serve-volleyer clearly believed what he said – and he wasn’t far wrong.
After a nerve-riddled start where Cressy double-faulted three times in the first four points, he settled and gave Nadal a fright for the best part of two hours.
But, as is almost always the case with Nadal, he found a way anytime Cressy threatened to cause what would have been a titanic upset.
He saved a set point on Cressy’s serve in the first-set tie-break then rallied from a break down in the second set to win the Melbourne Summer Set title 7-6(8-6) 6-3 on Sunday night.
It is the 89th singles title of the Spanish legend’s brilliant career after he opted to bypass the ATP Cup to be the headline act at the Melbourne event.
“There have been tremendous challenging moments (with the Covid-19 pandemic) and everybody’s making big efforts to make this happen, so I feel privileged and a very, very lucky guy to be here again,” Nadal said.
“I’m coming back from some challenging moments in terms of injuries, so I can’t be happier today.
“It means a lot to be back with a trophy in my hands after everything.”
Cressy’s run from qualifying to his maiden ATP final as the world No.112 was a great story – but so is Nadal winning his first tournament in five months after a foot injury then contracting Covid.
There are serious doubts about whether nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic will compete at Melbourne Park this year, and Nadal is among the chief beneficiaries if he doesn’t.
At 35, Nadal’s lone Australian Open championship was in 2009 but he has also finished runner-up four times.
A second championship in a few weeks’ time would propel him to the outright lead in men’s grand slam singles titles with 21.
Cressy’s net-rushing ways presented Nadal with some awkward moments, most notably in the tie-breaker.
The 198cm American college tennis graduate erased an 0-3 deficit when Nadal double-faulted at five-all.
But Cressy failed to hit a first serve on the next two points as Nadal quickly turned the tables and went a set up.
There was a brief detour when some aggressive Cressy play saw him snatch an early break in the second set but Nadal instantly got back on serve and cruised to the finish.
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