Melbourne: Top seed Rafael Nadal said that he needed to be more clinical after dogged fellow left-hander Federico Delbonis frustrated him at the Australian Open on Thursday. The Spanish World No. 1 created 20 break opportunities but was constantly denied by the Argentine before he wrapped up a 6-3, 7-6, 6-1 win on Rod Laver Arena. The victory set up a third-round clash with countryman Pablo Carreno Busta, his doubles partner at this month's ATP Cup.

'Tough match'

"It was a tough match. I lost a lot of opportunities on break point but found a way to finally win the second set," he said. "In the third, I was more relaxed, more aggressive and found better play in that set." Nadal had dropped only 10 games in three previous emphatic wins over 76th-ranked Delbonis and defeat was never on the cards at Melbourne Park. But the Argentine, whose best Grand Slam result was the third round in Melbourne in 2016, made life hard for the 19-time Grand Slam winner, fending off 17 of his break point chances.