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Nadal gets Easy Win, Agassi downs Bjorkman in Rogers Cup Tennis
Bill Beacon, Canadian Press
August 11, 2024
MONTREAL (CP) - A long rain delay couldn't stop Rafael Nadal of Spain as the top seed romped to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Ricardo Mello on Wednesday at the $2.45-million Rogers Cup tennis tournament.
Nadal, back to his fist-pumping self after a subdued opening-round win over his friend and mentor Carlos Moya, advanced to a third-round meeting with Sebastien Grosjean, who upset his 15th-seeded French compatriot Richard Gasquet 7-6 (5), 6-3.
The 19-year-old, who has eight tournaments wins - all on clay courts - this year is looking for his first career hardcourt victory at Uniprix Stadium.
Fourth-seeded Andre Agassi came out the winner against Jonas Bjorkman in a battle of veterans.
Agassi, 35, a three-time champion whose last Canadian victory was in 1995, used an early third-set service break to down 33-year-old Bjorkman 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
It improved the American's career record against Bjorkman to 5-0. Agassi has eight grand slam titles and 60 wins overall in his 19-year pro career while Bjorkman has nine tournament titles in 15 years. They are two of the oldest players in the draw.
"There's a lot to like about playing against someone you've known and played against a long time," said Agassi. "There's a lot of mutual respect just for doing it for so long.
"There's so many faces you don't recognize any more, to play against someone you know makes it that much more comfortable."
It was a gusty, rainy day in which play was halted twice by rain and lightning.
Organizers were forced to postpone late afternoon and evening doubles matches until Thursday, but singles play resumed in the evening after a rain delay of three hours 20 minutes. Between showers, No. 5 seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia survived a scare from 19-year-old Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic to win 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.
Sixth-seeded Gaston Gaudio of Argentina, the 2004 French Open champion, got past Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Agassi, seeded fourth, said he was more at ease in the wind than in his first-round win over Alberto Martin of Spain on Monday.
"I was slightly more comfortable and more accepting of the conditions out there," said Agassi. "In conditions like that, really anything can happen, so you have to stay positive, keep taking good swings and hope it falls your way."
He will face Nicolas Kiefer of Germany in the round of 16 on Thursday. Kiefer, a semifinalist last year in Toronto, ousted Taylor Dent of the United States 6-4, 6-4.
"That'll be a tough match," said Agassi, who is 5-0 against the German. "These are tough conditions - quick courts, wind. He's a quick-court player. He uses the pace really well and moves the ball around. I'll have my hands full."
Montreal-born Greg Rusedski of Britain downed Max Mirnyi of Belarus 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) in a battle of big servers to reach the third round of the event for the first time since 1992, when he lost to eventual champion Agassi. It was Rusedski's first win in three career meetings with Mirnyi.
Note - Organizers announced they have already reached record ticket sales of 168,678 for the week. The record was 166,442 sold last year for the women's Rogers Cup.
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