Nadal pushed to 3 sets again at Italian Open

ROME (AP) ― Rafael Nadal was pushed to three sets for the second consecutive match before ultimately prevailing Thursday to set up an Italian Open quarterfinal against Andy Murray.

The top-ranked Nadal dropped behind a set and a break against Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, then won 11 of the final 12 games to win 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-1 on another windy day at the Foro Italico.

“Get used to (it),” Nadal said of his recent struggles. “With the years that’s the normal thing. Everybody suffers. That’s part of the sport.”

At 27, Nadal believed his best days were probably behind him.

“At this age, (Bjorn) Borg was doing other things,” said Nadal, a 13-time Grand Slam winner. “It’s not possible to win for 10 years with easy scores and easy matches. At the same time, I’m sure I can do much better than I am doing.”

Nadal was looking forward to facing Murray for the first time in more than two years.

“I play against one of the top players in the world after two tough days,” Nadal said. “If I play well I’m going to have my chances, if not I’m going to spend the weekend (at home) in Mallorca.”

Murray eliminated Jurgen Melzer of Austria 7-6 (1), 6-4 to celebrate his 27th birthday.

In an upset, the seemingly ageless Tommy Haas beat third-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.

On the women’s side, Ana Ivanovic beat two-time Rome champion Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-4.

Pushed for three hours by Gilles Simon to nearly midnight a day earlier, Nadal didn’t generate the usual depth with his groundstrokes, and began to take control only when Youzhny started committing more unforced errors.

“The conditions were very impossible,” said Nadal, a seven-time Rome champion. “You always have to find the positive thing. I was able to play with the right motivation even if the feeling was not perfect.”

Nadal consistently ran around his backhand, a shot that also caused him concern in recent losses to David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, respectively.

Of Nadal’s 29 winners, only two of them came with his backhand.

Haas, the oldest player in the draw at 36, used his expertise to give Wawrinka trouble with heavy topspin.

Haas last beat a top-10 player more than a year ago in Miami, where he took out then-No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

“These things don’t happen too often anymore, so when I take them I’m really proud of them,” the German said. He has been winning this week in Rome for the first time since he lost the 2002 final to Andre Agassi.

Wawrinka cited a back injury that occurred in colder conditions during his opening win.

“I couldn’t move too well,” he said. “It‘s really nothing serious. It’s just painful and I need some rest ― maybe a few days.”

Wawrinka has made a great start by winning the Australian Open and the Monte Carlo Masters but another early exit in last week‘s Madrid Open leaves his form in question with the French Open starting in 10 days.

Haas’ quarterfinal opponent will be Grigor Dimitrov, who at 22 is the youngest player in the top 20. Dimitrov rallied past sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2.

Fifth-seeded David Ferrer beat Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-2, 6-3.

Also, eighth-seeded Milos Raonic defeated 11th-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (5), 6-4, and will next face Jeremy Chardy, the Frenchman who eliminated Ivan Dodig of Croatia 6-3, 6-2 a day after putting out Roger Federer.

In other women‘s play, second-seeded Li Na defeated Sam Stosur 6-3, 6-1 and will next meet Sara Errani of Italy, who kept the crowd content by beating Czech qualifier Petra Cetkovska 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Also, third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska eliminated Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-1, and will play 2007 and 2008 Rome champion Jelena Jankovic, who got by Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-3.

Zhang Shuai of China also reached the quarters.

Later, defending champion Serena Williams and Djokovic were in action.