Two-time finalist Rafael Nadal rallied from a set down and saved five of six break points he faced to beat David Nalbandian 6-7(8), 6-2, 6-2 en route to the Sony Ericsson Open fourth round Sunday.

Looking to end an 11-month title drought dating back to his victory at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome last May, Nadal held one set point in a dramatic 18-point first-set tie-break and ultimately had to toil for 2 hrs., 25 mins. to get the job done.


The players engaged in a series of punishing baseline exchanges throughout the match, with Nadal's superior fitness giving him the edge in the deciding third set.

Nadal is playing just his fourth tournament of the year. He retired in the Australian Open quarter-finals (vs. Murray) with a right knee injury but made a successful return in Indian Wells, where he reached the semi-finals and won the doubles title.

Nadal, at just 23, has amassed a stunning 15 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, but is yet to taste victory in Miami. He finished runner-up at the Sony Ericsson Open in 2005 (to Federer) and 2008 (to Davydenko).

“When you go on court against a player with [Nalbandian's] talent, you are always a little bit scared," Nadal said. "I think having a long first set for everything was better for me than for him. [In the second set] I felt he was a little bit more tired than me. He started to have more mistakes, and was a little bit easier for me to play.”

“I am very happy how I am doing in this American hard court season. Every match right now I want to be really important for me, and every victory gives me confidence.”

The Spaniard next faces countryman David Ferrer, who withstood 10 aces from Ivo Karlovic in a 7-6(5), 6-3 win.

ATP