When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up forfor news on the biggest players and tournaments In the first meeting between the two players, Nadal's experience and quality on the day was too much for Auger-Aliassime as he won 6-3 6-3 on Court Manolo Santana. Nadal needed six match points to beat Auger-Aliassime after being broken when serving for the match. But the win will be a relief to Nadal after suffering from a stomach virus in the build-up. And speaking after the match, the 32-year-old was delighted to get through a difficult opponent.<doc-sep>Rafael Nadal beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3 6-3 FREE for news on the biggest players and tournaments SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up forfor news on the biggest players and tournaments When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. After a stomach virus hampered him early in the week, Nadal showed little sign of those issues as he started strongly and his clay court style soon gave Auger-Aliassime problems. And the Spaniard broke Auger-Aliassime to lead 5-3 and served out the net in 41 minutes. Auger-Aliassime then made the worst possible start to the second set when he was broken in the opening game and more brilliance from Nadal allowed him to break again to lead 5-2. Nadal was broken as he served for the match but he bounced back to break Auger-Aliassime on his sixth match point and book his spot in the third round and a match against American Francis Tiafoe. RAFAEL NADAL VS FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME LIVE SECOND SET Nadal 6-3 6-3 Auger-Aliassime* FAA mis-hit on the forehand, 0-30. Three match points for Nadal after FAA nets a forehand. FAA saves the first with a big wide serve. Then Nadal nets a backhand return. And FAA saves all three after a Nadal backhand goes wide. Fourth match point for Nadal as FAA puts a forehand long. But Nadal nets a nervous forehand. A fifth match point comes and goes as Nadal nets a backhand. Shocking error from Nadal as he nets a very simple drop shot. FAA double fault, deuce. SIXTH match point after FAA's forehand flies long. GAME. SET. MATCH Nadal as FAA goes long again. *Nadal 6-3 5-3 Auger-Aliassime Nadal forehand wide, 0-15. Nadal forehand winner earns mistake from FAA, 15-15. Nadal forehand winner, 30-15. Nadal forehand long, 30-30. FAA forehand winner, break point. Nadal double fault. First break of the match for FAA. Game on? Nadal 6-3 5-2 Auger-Aliassime* Problems for FAA now as Nadal rifles a forehand winner down the line and gets two break points. And at the first opportunity, Nadal whips a backhand winner past FAA. Brilliant. Nadal will serve for the match next. Rafael Nadal prepares to serve against Felix Auger-Aliassime *Nadal 6-3 4-2 Auger-Aliassime Vintage Nadal play on clay as he sends FAA left and right and draws the error from the teenager. FAA is struggling to apply any pressure to Nadal. Nadal 6-3 3-2 Auger-Aliassime* More evidence of FAA’s qualities at the net as he deftly finishes with a volley after a series of heavy groundstrokes, 40-15. And he stays in touch with Nadal when the world No 2 nets a backhand. *Nadal 6-3 3-1 Auger-Aliassime One way traffic in Nadal’s service games continues. He’s won 29 of the points from the baseline and hit two aces. Nadal 6-3 2-1 Auger-Aliassime* Great backhand from FAA forces Nadal to miss a volley, 30-15. And he gets on the scoreboard when Nadal puts a return wide. *Nadal 6-3 2-0 Auger-Aliassime Double fault from Nadal to open the game but he responds to lead 40-15. FAA then puts a backhand in the tramlines again. Nadal has won 16 of the last 20 points. Nadal 6-3 1-0 Auger-Aliassime* Chance for Nadal as he gets the error from FAA after firing a forehand down the line. Double fault FAA, 15-40. He saves the first when Nadal goes wide with a forehand. But Nadal extracts another error from FAA to make the ideal start to the set. Felix Auger Aliassime in action during his second round match against Rafael Nadal FIRST SET *Nadal 6-3 Auger-Aliassime Nadal backhand winner, 15-0. FAA backhand long, 30-0. Nadal forehand into the net, 30-15. Two set points Nadal after FAA can’t reach a volley. And Nadal wins the opening set in 41 minutes. Too many errors from FAA costing him dearly. Nadal 5-3 Auger-Aliassime* A couple of loose forehands from FAA takes the game to deuce. Incredible defence from Nadal and he gets an error from FAA, break point. And another unforced error on his forehand gifts Nadal the crucial break. Nadal will serve for the set next. *Nadal 4-3 Auger-Aliassime FAA is playing very deep to cope with the spin and power that Nadal puts on the ball. But it is not helping him to win points on Nadal’s serve. Nadal holds to love. Nadal 3-3 Auger-Aliassime* Another show of FAA’s willingness to attack the net as he serve and volleys and comes out on top, 40-0. Nadal then goes long on the return to level the set. Rafael Nadal in action during his second round match against Felix Auger-Aliassime<doc-sep>Rafael Nadal faces Felix Auger-Aliassime at the Madrid Open FREE for news on the biggest players and tournaments SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up forfor news on the biggest players and tournaments When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. This afternoon, Auger-Aliassime will face Nadal in the second round of the Madrid Open in an intriguing match up between two players at opposite ends of their career. Auger-Aliassime has enjoyed a breakthrough season on the ATP Tour, rising to a career-high 30 in the rankings, a semi-final in Miami and runner-up in Rio. But at just 18-year-old, Auger-Aliassime will have grown up idolising the likes of Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. And Shapovalov, who Auger-Aliassime beat in the Madrid Open first round, has revealed that two years ago he saw just how much his friend liked Nadal. “The funny thing about it is that he had a Rafa poster in his house,” Shapovalov told ATP Uncovered. “I kind of took it down as a joke. I told him, ‘We got to take it down.’ “After that he legitimately took the poster down. He’s like, ‘Nah brother, the poster’s gone. Now I’ve got to put one of you.’ “It was a great moment.” Rafael Nadal is hoping to bounce back from Barcelona disappointment Felix Auger-Aliassime had a poster of Rafael Nadal on his bedroom wall as a youngster Auger-Aliassime’s rise has been one of the main storylines of the season and the teenager says he has been surprised by how well he’s done. “I never expected that I was going to be here this early. That was always my dream and I’m still following it,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Even just a few months ago, I was trying to break into the Top 100 and maybe thinking about Top 50 at the end of the year. [It's great] being in the Top 30, but there was also a lot of work put behind it. I’m just enjoying myself now.” Nadal is the favourite going into the match with Auger-Aliassime but the Spaniard acknowledged the young Canadian will be dangerous. Rafael Nadal beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3 in the first set Madrid Open: Rafael Nadal trains ahead of Auger-Aliassime match<doc-sep>
World no. 2 and five-time Madrid champion Rafael Nadal is through to the third round at home Masters 1000 event after a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Felix Auger-Aliassime in an hour and 37 minutes. This was the 370th win at this level for Nadal, a much-needed one after semi-final losses in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, heading to Madrid with extra pressure on his back and seeking the first title of the season. Felix had great results on clay Challengers last year and played well against Denis Shapovalov in the first round here to set Nadal clash where he had no chance, losing serve four times from ten opportunities offered to Rafa and creating almost no damage on the return. The Spaniard landed 71% of the first serve in and sailed through his service games to keep the pressure on the other side of the net, dropping 11 points behind the initial shot and never facing a break point until the last service game when he played some loose shots to extend the clash a little bit. The youngster stayed in touch in the opening seven games before Rafa earned a break after a terrible forehand from Felix, moving 5-3 up and closing the opener with a service winner in game nine for a 6-3 in 40 minutes. Auger-Aliassime suffered a break at the beginning of the second set when Rafa forced a forehand error and fell 5-2 down after a backhand crosscourt winner from the Spaniard that sent him 5-2 up. Serving for the match in the next game, Nadal faced the first break point and experienced a little setback after a double fault, keeping Felix in contention in the longest game of the match before converting the sixth match point for another break in game nine and the place in the last 16. Rafa had ten winners and 16 unforced errors while Felix counted to nine winners and 30 errors, dominating in the shortest and mid-range exchanges to prevail in straight sets.