Rafael Nadal booked his place in the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters thanks to a 7-5 (4)6-7 7-6(4) victory over Ivo Karlovic this afternoon.
Former world number one Nadal was broken in the very first game, but he responded to eventually claim the first set in 43 minutes.
However, despite having won the previous four meetings between the two players, Nadal had not recorded any of those in straight sets and that run continued in China as Karlovic responded in a second-set tie-breaker.
The decider went with serve, which in turn forced a second breaker of the contest. That also went with serve until with the score locked at four points apiece, Karlovic double-faulted for the first time in the match.
That handed the Spaniard a chance to serve out for the match, which he duly took.
He will now take on Canada's Milos Raonic for a place in the quarter-finals of the competition.
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