In 2009, Rafael Nadal won his first hard-court major at the Australian Open. He sealed it with a five-set win over Roger Federer, the career rival he also defeated in the Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals the previous year. The capstone of this sequence of events demanded that we ask if the younger Nadal, and not the more decorated Federer, was the game’s greatest player.

Apparently, that breakthrough victory did not come without a price. For ever since, the Australian Open has become Nadal’s personal black cloud. Each year this decade, it’s been something different for the Spaniard in Melbourne. In 2010 he retired in the quarterfinals; at the same stage in 2011, with an opportunity to hold all four Slams at once, he was not himself against David Ferrer. In two of the last three years, Nadal has reached the Aussie Open final, but on both occasions lost in painful fashion (nearly six hours to Novak Djokovic in 2012, and in four compromised sets to Stan Wawrinka in 2014). He was unable to play the tournament at all in 2013.

It truly feels like Rafa sold his soul to win the 2009 title.

For large portions of Nadal’s second-round match on Wednesday, against the 112th-ranked qualifier Tim Smyczek, that familiar cloud hung over him. Rafa was in obvious discomfort through most of the evening, appearing to get sick on court at one point. John McEnroe reported that his bout with illness began after the first set of this four-hour and 12-minute struggle.

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Nadal answers latest Australian Open test with gutsy, narrow win over Smyczek

Nadal answers latest Australian Open test with gutsy, narrow win over Smyczek

Nadal gave a wan appearance and an even drearier demeanor. You could have mistaken him for Eeyore, with all the negative energy raining down—they both wore pink, too.

And yet, Nadal will have a chance to lift this curse, and perhaps a second Australian Open trophy, following his gutsy and taxing 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-5 win over the relative unknown. As he’s done so many times throughout his career, Nadal outlasted his opponent. But this was hardly an example of Smyczek cowering under the pressure. Stranger still was that Rafa summoned his best tennis after his usual magic seemed to be in short supply. It may not have been a memorable marathon, but it featured a fantastic fifth set and one of Nadal’s greatest escapes.

The contest didn’t appear to be heading beyond the minimum duration after a routine, 31-minute opening set from Nadal. But at that point things changed, with Nadal’s rapidly decreasing level unable to contend with Smyczek’s inspired shotmaking. The American used his backhand and return to great effect against the left-hander’s shots, which for the next few hours didn’t land deep enough or travel fast enough. Smyczek’s two-handed backhand was particularly impressive; its compact and powerful nature recalled Janko Tipsarevic—and, more to the point, others who have managed to beat Nadal.

Lately, Rafa’s conquerors haven’t been the Djokovics, Federers, or Wawrinkas of the world. They’ve been Michael Berrer, Nick Kygrios, Borna Coric, and others outside the ATP top tier. That well-known fact surely entered into Smyczek’s mind when he broke Nadal three times in the second set and followed that with a fine start to the third. He led 2-0, but let Nadal back in the match when he misplayed a lob at 30-all. The Spaniard would eventually serve for the set at 5-4, but became ill just before that game. It was an ominous sign.

Nadal would be broken without much resistance; for the third time in the match, he double-faulted on break point. Bending over in pain, Nadal appeared to be weighed down by his own Babolat racquet. Smyczek seized the opportunity and ran away with the eventual tiebreaker. “I was close to stopping,” Nadal admitted to the press afterward. “I felt that I was very dizzy. I felt that I can lose little bit the—I don't know how to say—can fall down.”

But Smyczek was unable to keep his foot on Nadal’s throat. Up two sets to one, nerves finally began to show, and untimely errors gifted Nadal points he had no business winning. Rafa would find his form, but not until the fifth set. In retrospect, Smyczek’s opportunity for the upset had come and gone. “That was his C or D game, and he found a way to win,” Smyczek said after the match. “That's why he's the best.”

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Nadal answers latest Australian Open test with gutsy, narrow win over Smyczek

Nadal answers latest Australian Open test with gutsy, narrow win over Smyczek

The fifth set was a treat, and appeared to be going in both players’ directions at different times. There were no breaks through the first ten games, and Nadal seemed to let a glorious chance slip away when, at 3-3, 30-40, he made three consecutive return errors. It was uncharacteristic of Nadal in general, but also of the moment: The spring in his step had returned, his forehands were their usual balletic selves, and it took some outstanding play from Smyzcek to win points. The 27-year-old from Milwaukee deserves loads of credit for his performance.

Ultimately, however, Wisconsin’s forgettable week in sports continued. A weak swing volley hit right back at Nadal at 5-5, 0-15 put Smyczek in a hole from which he couldn’t escape. Nadal would break serve, and the difference between him at this stage and when he last served for a set was staggering.

But when Rafa let three match points go from 40-0, the cause for concern returned. A critical backhand down the line earned Nadal a fourth shot at victory, which he didn’t squander. “I’ve had a lot of tough moments on this court but I love Australia and the crowd,” said Nadal, who lived to play another day.

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