MELBOURNE - Spanish world number three Rafael Nadal battled dizzy spells and stomach cramps to prevent a major upset and win an energy-sapping five-setter at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Rafael Nadal reacts after beating Tim Smyczek at the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 21, 2015
The 14-time Grand Slam champion finally prevailed 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-5 over American qualifier Tim Smyczek in 4hr 12min in humid conditions and will now play unseeded Israeli Dudi Sela in the third round.
Nadal was clearly under duress on court and called for the trainer and doctor during a changeover early in the third set.
He took a tablet and continued on but at one changeover motioned to his player box that he was experiencing a stomach ailment.
"At the end of the first set, I started to feel my body very bad, very tired. I was worrying like crazy," the 14-time Grand Slam champion said.
"Then when I was serving for the third, almost throw up. So was terrible feeling. I suffered too much on court for three and a half hours. I was suffering a lot. Too much.
"I was close to not continuing because I felt that I was very dizzy. I felt that I could fall down."
Nadal said the humid conditions and the fact that he had not played many matches in the second half of last season after injury worked against him.
"I feel lucky to have the chance to finish the match, and then to find a way to win," he said.
"So very positive for me. All the moments I spend on court are important. In general you know it's important to win these kind of matches. That gives me the possibility to play again, and I am going to try to make better the next day."
Yet again Nadal suffered on Rod Laver Arena, the scene of his 2009 title win, but for the most part he has endured heartbreak.
"In 2007 I had a strain against Fernando Gonzalez, in 2010 I had to retire against Andy Murray and in 2011 I finished the match, but I had a strain against David Ferrer," he said.
"And then the final of 2014, what happened with my back (against Stan Wawrinka). So a lot of tough moments on this court for me."
- Tough night -
The Spanish great appeared to be making some headway when he broke Smyczek's serve to lead 5-3 only to give back the service break with a double-fault on break point.
The marathon 81-minute third set went to a tiebreaker which the American captured seven points to two.
Nadal regrouped and sent the match into a fifth set and he tried to fight off his health problems and the tigerish Smyczek.
The breakthrough came in the 11th game of the final set when Nadal broke Smyczek's serve and then wrapped up the victory on his fourth match point to his immense relief.
"It was a very tough night for me. I first want to congratulate Tim because he's a gentleman for what he did in the last game," Nadal said.
"Not many people would have done what he did at 6-5 in the fifth set after four hours."
A spectator yelled out as Nadal served at a crucial moment, but Smyczek allowed the serve to be retaken.
His unsettled condition showed when he committed an uncharacteristic 53 unforced errors and double-faulted three times on break points. He lost his serve five times.