Rafael Nadal: Lefty Spaniard Feliciano Lopez Won't Be Cakewalk for Rafa

A huge advantage to Rafael Nadal's game is that he is left handed. He has been dominating thus far at the 2012 Australian Open, but one has to wonder how his game will fare when he is put against another lefty.

That will be the case as Rafa will be pitted against fellow countryman Feliciano Lopez in the fourth round.

Both Spaniards are lefties, but obviously the World No. 2 has had a lot more success throughout his career. Lopez is currently ranked No. 19 in the world, but he has played very well thus far in the tournament.

Nadal really hasn't been challenged yet in this tournament. He has walked all over his past three opponents in Alex Kuznetsov, Tommy Haas and most recently Lukas Lacko. He has yet to drop a set, or even actually come close to dropping one.

He will truly be tested for the first time in this tournament against Lopez.

Over their careers, Nadal has handled Lopez with relative ease. He has defeated him eight times, while only dropping two matches. While the outcome of this match doesn't look to be something out of the contrary, the amount of time on court could be extremely different.

That is something that cannot go ignored.

Nadal has been recovering from knee injuries, even though he has yet to experience anything that has held him back yet. A long match could have his pain resurface, potentially slowing down the rigorous Spaniard.

Lopez was winning in straight sets for his first two rounds, but he was taken to five against American John Isner. While that would be a point that would give Nadal an advantage, it should be noted that the American is a beast at 6'9" and tends to take his matches deep.

It isn't likely that Nadal will drop this match, but he will be taken beyond three sets for the first time in this tournament. 

While Nadal could use another easy win to ease himself into a potential semifinal match against Roger Federer, it is important for either man to play as little amount of sets as possible.

If he does get caught up in a long match within the next two rounds, he is going to have to hope that whomever he faces in the semifinals is coming off of a gruesome, long match as well.

Jeff Chase is a featured columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.