Iceland kept momentum from its inspiring run to the Euro 2016 quarterfinals to lead Group I with Croatia. But the trend that started with him continues to this day — of foreign coaches coming with high hope. In the tiebreak, he took a mini-break for 3-2 when Nadal inexplicably netted a routine backhand and then sealed it with an unreturnable serve. The Spaniard went on to win seven successive points to set up three set points and on the third, he levelled the contest with a jaw-dropping dipping passing shot. The PGA Tour timed the aces as coming 65 seconds apart. He played only eight minutes in Spain’s shambolic 2014 World Cup campaign and did not make the starting line-up in their run to the last 16 at Euro 2016. “Of course, there is always room to improve, but it was really way better, and I really like the feeling that it’s getting better from match to match. “I threw everything into the game at 4-5, and luckily it worked out, and I think this was also. Twice a semi-finalist on French Open clay, Thiem was slow to find his footing on the New York hardcourts as Mannarino took early control at 5-3. What about players Sardar, the recent Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, has been a fading force for the past few years while Sreejesh has been out injured.