Wimbledon: Ryan Sweeting is hoping familiarity breeds success.
Before this season, the 23-year-old American had never played a match against No. 1-ranked Rafael Nadal.
Now the 69th-ranked Sweeting is getting set to face Nadal for the third time in six months. They'll meet in the second round at Wimbledon after winning first-round matches Monday.
"They keep putting me up in the top half of the draw," said Sweeting, who earned another shot at Nadal via a 3-6, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-1 victory over Pablo Andujar of Spain.
"I don't know what the deal is. What can I say? He's obviously one of the toughest opponents to play on any surface."
Sweeting knows that all too well. When they played at the Australian Open in January, Nadal won 6-2, 6-1, 6-1. At Indian Wells, California, in March, Nadal won 6-3, 6-1.
"Basically, I'm going to need to play great," Sweeting said. "I'm going to need to walk into the match feeling confident and execute. If I don't execute, I'm going to be in trouble, because he's not going to give me anything."
Sweeting never had played in a Grand Slam tournament's main draw until 2011. He's 2-2 so far.
The victory over the 50th-ranked Andujar marked the first time Sweeting's come back from two sets down to win a match.
"For me, personally, it's a huge accomplishment to be able to get a win after being two sets down," Sweeting said. "In the past I, mentally, I wouldn't say 'thrown in the towel,' but, maybe, mentally thought in my head the match is over. But today I fought hard and stopped fighting with myself, and just started to play tennis."
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