Recovering Nadal blasts past Tsonga

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Second seed Rafael Nadal continued to overcome knee problems at the U.S. Open on Sunday when he outclassed Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 6-2 6-1 to reach the fourth round.

The Spaniard, who almost pulled out of the event because of tendinitis in his left knee, looked more at ease as he cruised into the last 16 after just over two hours on court.

Yet the 21-year-old three-times French Open champion revealed he was still hindered by the injury.

"Yesterday I go practice and I don't put one ball inside the court because my mind is there. It's on the knee not on the ball," Nadal told reporters.

"But today I feel better. It's very important thing, to just think about the ball, don't think about the pain because if not, it's impossible."

Nadal said he took another dose of anti-inflammatories for his knee on Sunday and was able to keep his mind on tennis.

World number 74 Tsonga matched Nadal early on but once the Spaniard had taken the first-set tiebreak 7-3, the result was never in doubt.

VERY TOUGH