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3:58 p.m.
Rafael Nadal had no real trouble against Nicolas Almagro, winning their second-round match 6-4, 6-3, 6-1. And he won brownie points with the center court crowd, eliciting their cheers, by using French to tell them how happy he is.
The nine-time champion's shot-making was erratic at times. But he is moving well, suffocating Almagro with his persistent ball-retrieving. Nadal has now won 13 of 14 matches against his fellow Spaniard, ranked 154th.
Nadal is seeded lower than ever, sixth, at this French Open following a right-wrist injury, appendix surgery and a disappointing season on clay, the surface where he once was superhuman.