Nadal comes good

The Spaniards are good friends and seemed willing to give one another points early on, unforced errors making up a fair percentage of those gained.

Robredo, in good form and fitness despite losing to Nikolay Davydenko in the opening group match, arrived talking up his chances of beating Nadal. He moved around the court fluidly, making life difficult for the world number two.

Robredo came within a whisker of breaking Nadal early on and was successful soon after. Nadal's stokes were not quite enough to beat the quick feet of Robredo and he pounced to take a 4-2 lead.

Nadal was forced into action and immediately unleashed a fight-back, moving onto 0-40. He then impossibly saved a shot from Robredo for a second time in the game, breaking back.

Nadal out the effort in but could not find the winners he craved. Despite holding break point at 4-4, the set went to a tie-break.

Both had played their way into some form and appeared pumped up, but Nadal raced into a 4-0 lead as Robredo struggled to cope with his sudden ferocity. There was no way back and he ultimately triumphed 7-2.

That was a cruel blow for Robredo and it showed in the second set. He failed to hold his first service game while Nadal did so twice.

The crunch moment for his chances arrived with the score at 3-1. Robredo held three break points and on the second threw away an easy volley chance before Nadal came back to take the game and with it the hopes of victory for the world number six.

The match finished 7-6 6-2, but that score-line belied the intensity with which Robredo fought at the end. He survived three break points with an ace and some absolutely vicious forehand and backhand strokes.

However, Nadal won through and will face off against Nikolay Davydenko on Thursday in a winner-takes-all contest to decide qualification for the semi-finals.