Nadal battles into third round
(Reuters)Updated: 2007-01-19 08:44
Blowing kisses around court, the top seed said: "My brain cells were working today unlike my previous match.
"I'll be fine. It was good to get a quick one in today."
BEARDED BLAKE
Fans can look forward to seeing a lot more of a bearded James Blake after he dispatched fellow American Alex Kuznetsov 6-4 6-1 6-2.
"Once I start winning, I don't shave, it's a superstition," the fifth seed, who won the Sydney International title last weekend, told the crowd.
"Once something starts working you've got to stick with it."
British teenager Andy Murray could have done with sticking to the form of his previous match.
The 15th seed, who dropped only one game in the first round, was made to hang around a lot longer for a 7-6 7-5 6-4 win over Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco.
Burly Argentine David Nalbandian set up an intriguing third-round showdown against Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean following a 6-4 6-4 6-4 triumph over Nicolas Lapentti.
Hewitt gave his army of hollering fans plenty of anxious moments as he continued his mission to end Australia's search for their first men's champion since 1976.
Having come into the tournament with a question mark hanging over his fitness, he was happy to follow up his previous five-set win with a two-hour, 48-minute battle on Thursday.
Firing pin-point serves, the 19th sent down 14 aces. But the fiery Australian almost wiped out all the free points by producing 12 double faults.
"Coming in, I didn't have too much match practice and I've now had a lot of match practice. That can only be a good thing," said Hewitt.
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