Nadal Saves 5 M.P. To Edge Past Almagro; Federer Upset In Opener

© Getty ImagesSpaniard Rafael Nadal is looking to capture his first title since May this week.

Second-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal was forced to draw upon all his experience to beat Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5 Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris.  Nadal saved five match points at 5-6 in the second set and recovered from a 3-5 deficit in the deciding set, to clinch victory in three hours and 15 minutes.

Nadal's stunning victory - and Roger Federer's shock opening-round loss to Frenchman Julien Benneteau - has suddenly thrust the Spaniard back into contention to claim the 2009 ATP World Tour Champion title. Following Wednesday's results, Nadal trailed Federer by 1,215 points, but he would cut that margin to a mere 305 points should he go on this week to win his 16th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title.

With 1,500 points up for grabs for any undefeated champion at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, a Paris victory for Nadal this week would set the stage for a dramatic showdown between Nadal and Federer at the season finale in London, which begins 22 November.

But for now, Nadal was focussed on his stunning victory over Almagro. "I played great tennis in that moment [from 5-6, 0/40], the only moment," said Nadal, smiling. "For the rest of the match, I am very lucky to be in third round.  I didn't play well.  I was practising really well in Mallorca, but when I arrived here, it's tough to [get] good rhythm.  I have another chance to improve tomorrow.  I hope [I] don't play worse.  I think the win today is a very important win, and I am going to have another chance tomorrow to improve."

Nadal improved to 5-0 lifetime against his 24-year-old countryman, after hitting nine aces and saving six of 12 break points. Almagro, who was clearly hampered by cramps and was not able to serve full speed or move properly late in the third set, won 56 per cent of service points and hit 12 aces in the longest match of the day at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament.

Nadal will next meet another compatriot, No. 14 seed Tommy Robredo, who saved all five break points he faced to defeat Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4 in 79 minutes.  The 23-year-old Nadal improved to a 62-10 match record on the season, highlighted by five titles from eight finals.  He is looking to capture his first ATP World Tour title since May, when he defeated Novak Djokovic for his fourth Internazionali BNL d'Italia trophy in Rome.

Watch Live Streaming

While Nadal was able to stage a comeback in his opening match, top seed Roger Federer suffered an upset loss against Frenchman Julien Benneteau 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in one hour and 55 minutes. After failing to create any break point chances in the first two sets, Benneteau converted on one of his seven opportunities in the decisive set while saving all three faced on serve.

"It's magic. It's fabulous. Everything you can imagine. All those words," said Benneteau. "This memory will stay forever in me and in my career with all the emotions I felt. And hearing the crowd when they are all behind you, the noise is enormous. I didn't believe it was possible to experience something like that...

"I don't remember any match in my career where I really used my mental resources and physical resources as much as in this match to stay focused, to stay in the present moment, to be aggressive. I needed to go and get that match. I shouldn't be happy with just waiting. I needed to be very precise and to be aggressive, and that is what made the difference."

It marked the third time in seven appearances at the Paris tournament that Federer lost his opening match. The Swiss, a three-time quarter-finalist at the BNP Paribas Masters, was attempting to win his seventh different ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title this week.

"I can definitely play much better, but I can also play much worse," said Federer. "It wasn't a bad performance. I think Julien, he went out and got the victory. You know, I definitely had chances. I missed them. Seems to happen a bit to me now, you know, looking back at the Basel final or the US Open final.  I just have to make sure I don't let chances go by like this all the time."

Benneteau next meets Frenchman Gael Monfils, the No. 15 seed, who defeated countryman David Guez 6-4, 7-5. Monfils also reached the third round last year in Paris before falling to Nadal in straight sets.

World No. 4 Andy Murray also had difficulties in his second-round opener before prevailing 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(4) against American James Blake in two hours and 13 minutes. Murray had also defeated Blake this past June in the Queen's Club final, and now leads the head-to-head series 2-1.

The 22-year-old Scot won his ATP World Tour-best sixth title of the season last week at the Valencia Open 500 (d. Youzhny). It was his first main draw appearance since the US Open, having been sidelined with a left wrist injury re-aggravated during Great Britain's Davis Cup tie in September.

Murray will attempt to reach the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals for the third straight year when he next faces Czech No. 13 seed Radek Stepanek, a 6-4, 6-0 winner over Serbian Viktor Troicki.