Rafael Nadal floors Fabio Fognini in search for eighth French Open

On a day when tempers flared, Rafael Nadal, again, was briefly a prisoner of the elements but master of his moods. This time, he escaped the shackles of anxiety that had gripped him earlier in the week – when he struggled in the first two rounds then ranted about rain-ravaged scheduling that forced him to play two days in a row – and he remains on track for his eighth French Open title.
Briefly on Saturday afternoon it looked as if the weather would force another postponement, but the heavily pregnant clouds drifted harmlessly by Court Philippe Chatrier. After two hours and 45 minutes of exquisite entertainment, Nadal bade farewell to the temperamental Italian Fabio Fognini, winning 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4, a perfect workout before the more serious work to be done in the second week, where he will be dangerous, not just wounded. "This is the most special tournament on Tour for me, and it makes me very emotional," Nadal said.
After another nervy start, he brought urgency to his tennis that was disciplined, not driven by nagging impatience – as it had been when he gave up a set apiece in his first two matches. It is odd to witness a frustrated Nadal. For all his muscular energy and street-fighter's snarl, he rarely is ruffled by inconvenience, minor or major. What sulking there was here came from Fognini – amid a lot of laughing and smiling, it has to be said. He pleased the gathering with some beautiful, inventive play, although he could not match his opponent for steel under pressure.
There is a difference between saying Fognini can play as well as Nadal and saying he is his equal as a player because, when it came down to it, the Spanish master found more ways to extricate himself from trouble.
Fognini led 4-2 and served for the first set after 55 minutes, but Nadal broke back to 15 to force the tie-break. There, an ill-judged charge at the net and a lazy backhand cost Fognini dearly, before Nadal drew him into a delicious trap, forcing a desperate lunge that went wide, for the set.
The second set was a joy, every bit as good to watch as were Gaël Monfils and Ernests Gulbis on Thursday. Both of them are gone now. As is Fognini, who only briefly resisted Nadal in the third set, although he left behind many good memories. Nadal is still standing, still smiling – and his suspect knee, 44 matches into his comeback since February, looks to be in working order.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jun/01/rafael-nadal-fabio-fognini-french-open