Rafael Nadal faces Jerzy Janowicz on Thursday in the third round of the 2013 Rogers Cup. The match is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET. Watch the live stream HERE.
After his first round bye, fourth-seeded Nadal played on Wednesday and defeated Jesse Levine in two sets (6-2, 6-0). Nadal, whose last tournament ended in a surprise first-round loss at Wimbledon, appeared to have regained his form - he cruised by Levine in just one hour and 12 minutes, TennGrand.com reports.
Despite the quick win, Nadal wasn't thrilled with his performance.
"I didn't play a perfect match," he told reporters, via TennGrand.com. "I played well. The conditions out there today were very difficult. I will say I did the right things to be in the next round."
One concern for Nadal is his lingering knee injury. He doesn't believe the knee will be an issue in the Rogers Cup.
"The knee is not bothering me as much," Nadal said after his win over Levine, via Sport24.com. "In the last couple of days, I was able to practice with no limitation,that is the most important thing.
"After seven weeks without playing tennis, you start a tournament on a hard court,that is tougher for the body. You always feel a few things at the beginning. But hopefully those things will not limit my chances to play well."
Wednesday's win pushed Nadal's season record to 44-3 with seven titles, including the French Open title.
Janowicz, the 6-foot-8 Pole, is looking to be the Steve Darcis of the Rogers Cup by upsetting Nadal. Janowicz advanced to the third round by defeating Julien Benneteau (3-6, 6-3, 7-5) and Frank Dancevic (7-6, 3-6, 6-4). The Pole, who is ranked No. 18 in the World, has had a solid season, posting a 21-14 record.
The court favors Janowicz, according to TennisGrand, and his powerful serves and forehands could be difficult for Nadal. Still, Nadal is the favorite to win.
