Tennis: Fired-up Djokovic braced for Alcaraz and Nadal challenge at French Open

PARIS, France -- Novak Djokovic admits he will be fired up by the fiasco of his high-profile deportation from Australia when he targets a record-equaling 21st major on his Grand Slam return at the French Open. 

World number one Djokovic captured a second Roland Garros title in 2021 followed by a sixth Wimbledon to move to 20 majors alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

However, his unseemly exit from Melbourne following his refusal to be vaccinated opened the door for Nadal to claim a second Australian Open and 21st Grand Slam crown.

"It's something that I never faced before," said Djokovic, who turns 35 on Sunday, the opening day of the French Open.

"The amount of pressure and everything that I was feeling in the first few months of the year, as much as I've felt pressure in my life and my career, that was something really on a whole different level."

Djokovic has played only five tournaments in 2022 but arrives in Paris buoyed by a sixth Italian Open title, becoming just the fifth man to win 1,000 career matches in the process.

It was his 38th Masters triumph, two more than Nadal at the top of the all-time list.

He did not drop a set in Rome as he finished a memorable week with a final victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas, the man he defeated from two sets down in the 2021 French Open title match.

With 13-time French Open champion Nadal suffering a recurrence of a foot injury, another Spaniard is likely to be Djokovic's biggest headache in Paris.

Carlos Alcaraz, just 19, has rocketed to six in the world on the back of four titles -- three on clay -- in 2022.

- 'Special' Alcaraz-

He won a second Masters title in Madrid, sweeping Nadal, Djokovic and third-ranked Alexander Zverev on the way.

"He definitely is special," admitted Djokovic of Alcaraz who also claimed the prestigious Miami Masters earlier in the year.

Alcaraz was ranked 97 this time last year. He was only two when Nadal won the first of his 13 French Opens in 2005 but he made his mark at the 2021 tournament where he came through qualifying to reach the third round.

Djokovic has been responsible for two of only three losses suffered by Nadal in Paris.

One of those came in a bruising semi-final 12 months ago, the most recent clash of the pair's epic 58-match rivalry.

Nadal comes into Paris with major question marks over his ability to lift a 14th title.

A rib injury in March was followed by the re-emergence in Rome of his chronic foot injury where he limped to defeat in the last-16.

The 35-year-old Spaniard is due to practice at Roland Garros for the first time on Wednesday where he will have his own doctor on hand to assess his fitness.

- 'Living with injury' -

"I am a player living with an injury; it is nothing new," said Nadal, now ranked fifth in the world.

"Since I came back, the foot has been tough. It's tough for me to be able to practice the proper way."

Russian world number two Daniil Medvedev, who gave up a two-sets lead to lose to Nadal in the Australian Open final, only returned to action in Geneva this week after undergoing a hernia operation.

The US Open champion has 13 titles to his name but has yet to master the draining demands of clay.

At Roland Garros, he was winless in his first four visits before managing to stop the rot with a quarter-final run in 2021.

Medvedev is likely to use the ban on Russian players at Wimbledon this year as fuel for a surprise title tilt.

Greek world number four Tsitsipas has enjoyed a solid clay season.

He defended his Monte Carlo title before making the last-eight in Barcelona and semi-finals in Madrid.

Agence France-Presse

Australian Open: Nadal on brink of history after beating Berrettini

Rafael Nadal marched into the final of the Australian Open to be just one match away from becoming the all-time men's Grand Slam leader after overcoming Matteo Berrettini in their semi-final on Friday.

The 35-year-old Spanish great, seeded sixth, was too solid for the Italian seventh seed, winning 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in 2hr 55min, and will face either Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's final.

Nadal is level on 20 majors with his golden era rivals Novak Djokovic, who was deported on the eve of the tournament, and Roger Federer, who is absent with injury.

It gives the Spaniard an opportunity to go clear at the top and add to his lone 2009 Melbourne Park crown in his sixth Australian Open final.

"For me at the end it's about more than all these statistics, it's about being in the final of the Australian Open one more time. That means a lot to me," Nadal said.

"To me it's more important to be in the final of the Australian Open and fight to win another Australian Open than the rest of the statistics for the history of the sport.

"I just feel happy to be part of this amazing era of tennis, sharing all these things with another two players.

"That's it. In some ways it doesn't matter if somebody achieve one more or one less.

"I feel very lucky that I won once in my career here in 2009, but I never thought about another chance in 2022." 

It has been an extraordinary effort from Nadal at the year's opening major, having to modify his game to compensate for a degenerative bone disease in his left foot that ended his 2021 season last August. 

- 'It means a lot' -

He then caught Covid in December which, he said, made him "very sick". 

Yet Nadal brushed aside Berrettini's challenge with precision shot-making, while last year's Wimbledon finalist could not overcome his sluggish start.

The stark statistic confronting Berrettini was that Nadal had never lost in his 20 Grand Slam semi-finals after leading by two sets. 

"It means a lot to me to be in the final again here," added Nadal, who is now unbeaten in 10 matches to start the 2022 season after winning a warm-up event in Melbourne.

Nadal honed in on Berrettini's vulnerable backhand which contributed to 20 of the Italian's 39 unforced errors.

Berrettini, the first Italian man to play in the Australian Open semi-finals, raised his level in the third set.

He brought up his first break points in six sets in his two encounters with Nadal and broke with a forehand winner to 5-3 and served out to reduce the deficit to one set.

But the key break came in the eighth game of the fourth set, Nadal bringing up two separate break points and getting the crucial break when Berrettini netted a forehand before serving out for the match.

"It's amazing, I'm super happy to be able to compete for the last three weeks at this level," Nadal said.

"It's surprising for me to be able to play at the level that I am playing, but just compete and play tennis at the high level again, facing the most important players of the world, for me, it's something unbelievable.

"One month and a half ago I didn't know if I will be able to be back to the tour. So here I am, and thanks life for it."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Pumped-up Nadal into Melbourne quarters but Zverev sent packing

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Rafael Nadal survived an epic 28-minute tiebreak to seal his spot in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and top seed Ashleigh Barty joined him with victory over giant-killer Amanda Anisimova on Sunday.

Nadal will now face Canada's 14th seed Denis Shapovalov after he stunned third seed and Olympic champion Alexander Zverev -- who said "everything" went wrong.

Nadal who is chasing a men's record 21st Grand Slam title, was pushed all the way by Adrian Mannarino in an 81-minute first set before breaking the Frenchman's resolve in a 7-6 (16/14), 6-2, 6-2 victory.

"First set was very emotional," said the 35-year-old Nadal, the 2009 Australian Open champion, who pumped his fists after emerging victorious from a marathon first-set tiebreak on a steamy day in Melbourne. 

"That crazy first set was so important."

The Spaniard, who dropped a set for the first time in the tournament before powering past Russia's Karen Khachanov in the previous round, will now face Shapovalov in the last eight.

The 22-year-old Shapovalov -- who tested positive for Covid when he landed in Australia earlier this month -- left Zverev still searching for a first major title after beating him 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

The German smashed his racquet and afterwards failed to find any positives.

"Today, in my opinion, was just awful from my side," he said.

Asked what went wrong by reporters, he replied: "Everything."

In action later is Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini against Spanish 19th seed Pablo Carreno Busta.

Flamboyant 17th seed Gael Monfils, unbeaten this year after winning a warm-up event in Adelaide, is yet to drop a set and comes up against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic.

The ageless 35-year-old Frenchman Monfils is targeting a second quarter-final appearance at Melbourne Park and the first for six years.

- Barty powers on -

In the women's draw, home hope and world number one Barty thrilled the crowd by defeating 60th-ranked Anisimova 6-4, 6-3. The Australian faces another American, Jessica Pegula, in the last eight.

The 20-year-old Anisimova beat Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and was fresh from knocking out defending champion Naomi Osaka.

But she came up against a Barty who looks in irresistible form as she chases her first Australian Open crown.

Reminded that last year's Australian Open went behind closed doors mid-tournament because of Covid, Barty told an adoring Rod Laver Arena crowd that playing in front of them was "a lot more fun" than seeing empty seats.

"Last two years have been extraordinarily tough for many people around the world," said the down-to-earth 25-year-old, the reigning Wimbledon champion and a former Roland Garros winner.

The 21st-seeded Pegula, who revealed earlier this week she has been relaxing by spending every night at the casino, was a surprise winner over fifth seed Maria Sakkari of Greece.

Also into the last eight is French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova.

She blew away former two-time Melbourne champion Victoria Azarenka, who had a neck problem, to set up a meeting with unseeded American Madison Keys.

Fourth seed Krejcikova of the Czech Republic powered through 6-2, 6-2 against the Belarusian, who won the title in 2012 and 2013.

"It was really amazing today because she is a champion here and she likes this court, she's very experienced on this court," said Krejcikova of Azarenka.

Keys raced past Spain's Paula Badosa, seeded eight, 6-3, 6-1.

Keys, who beat 2020 champion Sofia Kenin in the first round, said she had brought a fresh perspective into 2022 after struggling with the Covid-enforced bubble life on tour last year.

"I don't really thrive when my entire life becomes about tennis," she said.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Nadal rolls into round three but warns best still to come

Rafael Nadal rumbled into the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday and warned that the best was yet to come after a troubled year with injury. 

The Spanish legend needed five match points before decisively putting away tenacious qualifier Yannick Hanfmann to ramp up his march towards a men's record 21st Grand Slam title.

The world number five executed a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win over the 126th-ranked Hanfmann in 2hr 42 min under a hot sun on Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal, who had his 2021 season end in August because of a foot injury and then contracted Covid-19 in December, told reporters: "I said before the tournament things are not going to be perfect.

"But every day I spend on court, the chances to play better are higher.

"I think I am doing things well. Things that I can improve I have to improve. I want to keep going in the tournament.

"After two matches now is the moment to make a step forward," warned Nadal, who has played just 13 tournaments in the past two seasons because of injury.

His 5-0 record in 2022 is a strong start, but he is yet to face a top-60 player in the new year. 

That will change in his next match, against Russian 28th seed Karen Khachanov, who ousted 63rd-ranked Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi in straight sets last Wednesday.

Nadal, who turns 36 this year and is one of the best men's players of all time, said he had achieved more than he had ever dreamed in his tennis career.

"I was able to spend almost 20 fantastic years on the tour. When you get older, the watch never stops. You need to accept that. But it's all good with me with that."

Nadal, the only Australian Open champion in the men's draw after nine-time winner Novak Djokovic's deportation on the eve of the tournament, is vying with Djokovic and Roger Federer to reach a record 21st Slam crown.

Agence France-Presse

Djokovic senses opportunity against Nadal at French Open final

PARIS — Novak Djokovic has suffered more than his fair share of heartache against Rafael Nadal at the French Open but Sunday’s final offers him a chance to dethrone the claycourt king.

The 33-year-old Serb leads their extraordinary rivalry 29-26 but Nadal has won six of their seven clashes at Roland Garros, including the 2012 and 2014 finals.

Djokovic won their last encounter on the Parisian clay, however, in the 2015 quarter-finals and believes Sunday’s final offers him an opportunity to get the better of the Spaniard again even if it he says playing Nadal on clay remains the toughest challenge in tennis.

“Obviously the conditions are different than the ones that we are used to playing in May and June,” Djokovic told reporters after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets on Friday.

“I think that could be a better chance for me, obviously the ball not bouncing as high over the shoulder as he likes it usually. I mean, look, regardless of the conditions, he’s still

there, he’s Rafa, he’s in the finals, we’re playing on clay.”

Had it not been for Djokovic’s default at the U.S. Open for striking a line judge with a ball swatted away in frustration during a fourth round match against Pablo Carreno Busta, the Serbian might have been starting Sunday’s showdown with 18 Grand Slam titles, one behind Nadal and two short of Roger Federer.

Victory would see him close the gap but defeat would leave him three shy of both of them in the race for ‘greatest of all time’ status. The stakes are huge, but Djokovic says it is not the biggest match he has played in his career.

“Finals of a Grand Slam is always huge,” the world number one said. “But I don’t think it’s the biggest match that I have ever played in my life. I think there were some bigger ones.

“In terms of importance, I mean, if I have to compare, even though I don’t like, probably the first Wimbledon final that I actually played against him (in 2011). Wimbledon was always the one that I wanted to win as a kid and dreamed of winning.

“That’s probably the one that stands out. And the French Open 2016 against Andy Murray here. Every French Open final that I played was the match of my life before I actually won it.

“This is the (Grand Slam) that I won the least, so of course I am extremely motivated to try to get my hands on another one.”

Despite the fact 12-time Roland Garros champion Nadal has sailed through the draw without dropping a set and Djokovic spent four hours beating Tsitsipas in a late finish on Friday, he said he will be firing on all cylinders on Sunday.

“I’m not feeling exhausted physically so much after tonight’s match,” he said. “It was a great battle. But I feel fine. I think a day and a half will be plenty of time for me to recover. I’m looking forward to a great battle with Rafa.”

-reuters

Nadal out of Shanghai Masters with wrist injury

SHANGHAI – Rafael Nadal pulled out of next week's Shanghai Masters on Friday saying he had failed to recover from a wrist injury.

Spain's world number two also withdrew from last month's Laver Cup.

It is the second year in a row that the 19-time Grand Slam champion will have failed to appear in Shanghai.

"As you all probably know, I had an inflammation on my left wrist during the Laver Cup and I haven't had the time to recover and practice to be ready for this amazing event," the 33-year-old said in a statement.

"I hope to be back in Shanghai for the 2020 tournament."

Tournament director Michael Luevano said: "We will obviously miss not having Rafa here at the Shanghai Masters. He has been an incredible supporter of the tournament and of tennis in China.

"Also, on a personal note, as well as speaking for the entire family at the Shanghai Masters, we wish Rafa and his fiance Maria Francisca all the very best for their upcoming wedding."

Reigning US Open champion Nadal is set to tie the knot on October 19.

source: philstar.com

Nadal reigns in clash of former US Open champs as Zverev exits

NEW YORK – Rafael Nadal ramped up his quest for a fourth US Open title Monday (Tuesday, Manila time) with an impressive win over 2014 champion Marin Cilic to advance to the quarterfinals while Alexander Zverev slumped to a four-set defeat.

Second seed Nadal — the winner at Flushing Meadows in 2010, 2013 and 2017 — produced some electrifying moments of brilliance to end the challenge of Croatia's Marin Cilic 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.

After barely breaking a sweat in reaching the last 16, a run that included a second-round walkover, Nadal stared down his stiffest test so far to surge into a quarterfinal meeting with Argentine 20th seed Diego Schwartzman.


The Spaniard exchanged the first two sets with Cilic but grasped control by breaking for 3-1 in the third, a series of dazzling winners drawing an animated fist-pump from golf legend Tiger Woods at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Nadal reeled off nine games in succession across the third and fourth sets and 12 of the final 15 to nail down a 40th Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance, nine of which have come at the US Open.

"The emotions I have when I play here are impossible to describe. I love the sport and feel very lucky to still be playing tennis here. Eight years ago I didn't think that would happen as my body was suffering badly," Nadal said.

"It's a huge honor playing in front of all of you and playing in front of Tiger is a very special thing. I always say I don't have big idols but one idol is him and I always try to follow him."

Nadal's path to the final sees him take on Schwartzman next after the 5ft 7in (1.70m) Argentine chopped down sixth seed Zverev.


"He is playing amazing, nothing new, he's one of the players with best talent on tour," the 18-time Grand Slam champion said of his upcoming opponent.

"It will be a big challenge. I have to play my best. I'm happy for him. He's a close friend and I hope to play a great match."

Berrettini, Monfils win

Zverev rolled through the opening set against Schwartzman under the roof on Ashe during a rainy afternoon session, but he lost his way to go down 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3.

The German was enjoying his deepest run in New York but committed 17 double faults and 65 unforced errors and received a point penalty for swearing as Schwartzman advanced to a second US Open quarter-final in three years.

"Generally my season so far has not been the best," said Zverev, who has reached just two quarterfinals in 18 Grand Slam appearances.

Zverev said he was hindered a "very swollen" back and right hip following a fall in his previous match.

"I had a lot of chances which I didn't use early in the match. He kind of ran away with it."

Zverev lost his serve three times during the second set but appeared to have steadied himself when he moved a break ahead at 3-2 in the third, only for Schwartzman to wrest the momentum back in his favor after a lengthy sixth game.

"It was tough because I was feeling I had the chance to win this and I had a few break points I could not take," Schwartzman said. "He was up a break and then I recovered really quickly and I felt great after that."

Matteo Berrettini became just the second Italian man to progress to the US Open quarterfinals, 42 years after Corrado Barazzutti's run to the last four in New York.

Berrettini, the 24th seed, eased to a 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) win over Russia's 43rd-ranked Andrey Rublev to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam for the first time.

"It's something really crazy. I cannot believe it right now. I need a few hours to understand what happened," said Berrettini, 23, who goes on to play French 13th seed Gael Monfils.

"I'm just happy. Seeing my team and family here and crying, for me it's unbelievable."

Berrettini went one step further than his run to the last 16 at Wimbledon in July, where he was beaten by Roger Federer.

Monfils, a 2016 US Open semifinalist, crushed the 33-year-old Andujar's bid to become the oldest player in the Open era to reach his first Grand Slam singles quarterfinal with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 rout.

source: philstar.com

Top seed Nadal surges into ATP Montreal quarterfinals

MONTREAL, Canada – Spanish top seed Rafael Nadal defeated Guido Pella 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday (Friday, Manila time) to reach a second straight quarterfinal at the ATP Montreal Masters.

The Spaniard improved to 36-8 in Canada as he seeks his fifth title at the event.

Nadal will be competing in his ninth quarter-final in Canada after advancing on his fourth match point. Argentina's Pella saved three Nadal match-winners in the penultimate game.

source: philstar.com

Nadal races into third round at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS – World number two Rafael Nadal steamed into the third round of the ATP Indian Wells Masters on Sunday (Monday Manila time) with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over American Jared Donaldson.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion, who owns three Indian Wells titles, needed just 72 minutes to get past world number 192 Donaldson, who returned to the tour in February after six months sidelined by a knee injury.

The Spanish star is playing his third tournament of a year that opened with a runner-up finish to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.


He next faces Argentina's Diego Schwartzman, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Spain's Roberto Carbralles.

source: philstar.com

Djokovic claims record seventh Aussie Open crown

MELBOURNE, Australia – Novak Djokovic was so good, so relentless, so pretty much perfect, that Rafael Nadal never stood a chance.

Djokovic reduced one of the greats of the game to merely another outclassed opponent – just a guy, really – and one so out of sorts that Nadal even whiffed on one of his famous forehands entirely.

In a remarkably dominant and mistake-free performance that yielded a remarkably lopsided result, the No. 1-ranked Djokovic overwhelmed Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday night to win a record seventh Australian Open championship and a third consecutive Grand Slam title, raising his count to 15 overall.


“An amazing level of tennis,” Nadal acknowledged.

After dropping only four games in the semifinals, Djokovic spoke about being “in the zone.” Clearly, he did not budge from there, producing 34 winners and only nine unforced errors Sunday.

And this was against no slouch, of course: Nadal is ranked No. 2, owns 17 major trophies himself and hadn’t dropped a set in the tournament.

But Djokovic left Nadal smirking or gritting his teeth or punching his racket strings, unable to compete at all.

So Djokovic added to previous triumphs in Melbourne in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, along with four at Wimbledon, three at the US Open and one at the French Open.

He broke his tie with Roger Federer and Roy Emerson for most Australian Open men’s titles. He also broke a tie with Pete Sampras for third-most Grand Slam trophies; Djokovic only trails Federer, with 20, and Nadal.

And he is gaining on them.

A sore right elbow cost Djokovic the last half of 2017. It contributed to a fourth-round loss in Melbourne a year ago. He had surgery about 11 months ago. All that is in the past.

The 31-year-old Serb is once again at an elite level.

Djokovic and Nadal know each other, their styles and their patterns all too well. This was their 53rd meeting – more than any other pair of men in the half-century professional era – and record-equaling 15th at a Grand Slam tournament.     

source: philstar.com

Nadal pulls out of Paris Masters; will lose No. 1 ranking

PARIS — Returning from one injury to play at the Paris Masters, Rafael Nadal pulled out with another one.

This time it wasn't the troublesome right knee which had sidelined him since the US Open semifinals in early September, but rather an abdominal injury which just crept up on him.

Given his history of injuries, Nadal listened to advice and did not play his second-round match against Fernando Verdasco on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time).

"The last few days I start to feel a little bit the abdominal, especially when I was serving," Nadal said. "The doctor says that is recommended to not play, because if I continue the abdominal maybe can break and can be a major thing."

This latest injury will cost him his No. 1 ranking, which goes back to longtime rival Novak Djokovic next week.

Djokovic lost his top ranking to Andy Murray at the Paris Masters two years ago.

As he then struggled to come back from a lingering elbow injury, the 31-year-old Serb's ranking plummeted to No. 22 in May this year.

But Djokovic has completely turned his form around, winning four of the last five tournaments he has entered, including Wimbledon, the US Open and most recently the Shanghai Masters. The 14-time Grand Slam champion's brilliant comeback makes him the first player to reach No. 1 after being ranked below 20th in the same season since Marat Safin in 2000, according to the ATP Tour.

Djokovic faces Damir Dzumhur in the third round, the first time they have played each other.

For Nadal, it is the second straight year he has withdrawn from the Paris indoor tournament and he is not sure if he will play at the season-ending ATP Finals in London, starting Nov. 11.

"I cannot answer. I just go day by day," the 17-time Grand Slam champion said. "The most important thing for me is to be healthy, be healthy and have the chance to compete weeks in a row. Something that I was not able to do this year, playing only nine events and retiring in two."

Nadal has dealt with off-and-on knee problems for years and the 32-year-old Spaniard prefers to be cautious. At the US Open, he retired during his match against Juan Martin del Potro. He then skipped the Asia swing to recover, missing tournaments in Beijing and Shanghai.

"It has been a tough year for me in terms of injuries so I want to avoid drastic things," Nadal said. "The doctor says if I want to play the tournament, I want to try to win the tournament, the abdominal with break for sure."

Nadal is optimistic his latest injury will pass, providing he does not rush back.

"It would not be fair to say it's a real injury today but what is sure, if I continue it will be a real injury," he said. "When you come back after injuries, and you push a little bit, the body at the beginning some issues can happen."

Lucky loser Malek Jaziri replaced Nadal and beat Verdasco 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-3 and next faces defending champion Jack Sock.

Roger Federer also advanced to Thursday's third round after big-serving Milos Raonic retired before their match with a right elbow injury.

Raonic injured himself during a three-set win against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Tuesday.

"In the middle of second set, I overextended my elbow and it did some kind of pain," he said. "I went and I did an ultrasound and MRI, and they found some kind of a lesion in the tricep."

Federer, who won his 99th career title at the Swiss Indoors last Sunday, will next face 13th-seeded Fabio Fognini. He leads the Italian 3-0 in matchups.

Sock and fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev reached round three in straight sets.

The 16th-seeded Sock won 6-3, 6-3 win against Frenchman Richard Gasquet, while Zverev advanced 6-4, 6-4 over American Francis Tiafoe.

Sixth-seeded Dominic Thiem won 6-4, 6-2 against Gilles Simon, beating the Frenchman for the eighth time in 10 meetings.

No. 7 Kevin Anderson, the Wimbledon runner-up; No. 8 John Isner, No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov, No. 10 Kei Nishikori and No. 15 Diego Schwartzman also advanced.

Isner and Nishikori are competing with No. 5 Marin Cilic and Thiem for the last two ATP finals places. Cilic faces Dimitrov on Thursday.

No. 11 Borna Coric completed second-round action with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Daniil Medvedev and next faces Thiem.

source: philstar.com

'It's cruel, sometimes, tennis': Nadal tops Thiem at US Open

NEW YORK — Rafael Nadal began his US Open quarterfinal as poorly as possible, shut out in a set by a 6-0 score for only the fourth time in 282 career Grand Slam matches.

On the previous three such occasions, he'd lost. On this one, he managed to come back to win, although it took 4 hours, 49 minutes and never did get easy for him.

The defending champion and No. 1 seed at Flushing Meadows recovered from his disastrous start and other stumbles along the way to beat No. 9 Dominic Thiem 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5) for a semifinal berth at a third consecutive Grand Slam tournament, winning a physical, back-and-forth tussle that concluded after 2 a.m. on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time).

"Very demanding, in all aspects," said Nadal, who will face 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro on Friday for a berth in the final. "A question of a little bit of luck at the end."

How tense and tight was this one? Not only was Nadal two points from losing at 5-all in the closing tiebreaker, but he finished with fewer total points, 171-166.

"It's cruel, sometimes, tennis," Thiem said, calling the loss "the first really epic match I've played."

When it ended, on an overhead by Thiem that sailed long, everyone in Nadal's guest box — a group that included actor Ben Stiller — leaped to their feet to celebrate. Nadal climbed over the net to hug his opponent, then whisper an apology and words of encouragement.

"I'm very sorry for Dominic," Nadal told a rowdy crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium. "He's a close friend on tour. He's a great guy. A great player."

Asked about that at his news conference, Thiem said with a chuckle: "Well, I don't think he's really sorry."

This rematch of the French Open final in June, won by Nadal, was his first match against a top-20 opponent at the US Open since 2013, when he beat then-No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the final.

It sure seemed at the shocking outset as if Nadal was somehow unprepared for this step up in competition. Thiem collected 24 of the opening set's 31 points, thanks in large part to a 13-3 edge in winners.

Hard to not think back to 24 hours earlier, when Nadal's great rival, No. 2 seed Roger Federer, was upset in the fourth round during similarly muggy conditions. Nadal was sweating so much in the 90-degree heat and 50-percent humidity that a mountain of white towels formed next to his changeover bench.

Thiem made him work for this win. And how.

The depth and strength of Thiem's groundstrokes were doing what Nadal's shots usually do to opponents: robbing them of time and space. Plus, Thiem — an Austrian who turned 25 on Monday — was serving well, taking every point when he put a first serve in, and handling returns without a hitch.

"After that first set," Nadal said, "the match became more normal."

It took a while for Nadal to figure out what was wrong and become Thiem's equal in entertaining, body-punishing baseline exchanges that inspired loud gasps from spectators. Still, this whole contest was filled with challenges for Nadal.

He fell behind by a break in the third set before rebounding. He was two points from victory at 6-5, deuce, in the fourth as Thiem served, but flubbed a forehand volley, leaping for a ball that appeared to be sailing out and dumping it into the net. That mistake might have stayed in Nadal's head, because he played terribly in the ensuing tiebreaker.

In the fifth, Nadal held three break points at 5-all, love-40, but Thiem took the next five points told serve.

That, Nadal would say afterward, managed to "break my heart. But I just keep going."

He usually does.

When Nadal makes it this far in New York, he usually doesn't stumble. He has now won seven US Open quarterfinals in a row when he's made it that far; his only loss in that round came back in 2006.

He is bidding for a fourth title at Flushing Meadows and 18th Grand Slam trophy overall.

Del Potro, the No. 3 seed, got to the semifinals by defeating No. 11 John Isner 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

During that earlier quarterfinal, Isner doubled over and rested his elbows on his knees. He grimaced. He shook his head. He looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but where he was: falling further and further behind in energy-robbing heat.

"Whatever the humidity is on outer courts or in the city, I think it's amplified on center court," Isner said. "It's just very difficult to deal with. I have never seen Roger sweat ever. If he's sweating a lot and has to change clothes, then you know it's pretty humid out there."

Isner was bidding to become the first American man in a dozen years to get to the final four at Flushing Meadows.

But while Isner was playing before what could count as a home crowd, del Potro got all manner of support throughout, from the blue-and-white flags or soccer jerseys dotting the stands to the repeated singsong chants of his nickname, "Delpo," punctuated by clapping.

Those choruses resonated in the arena after key points, such as each time del Potro erased one of Isner's break chances, three in all. Still, it was Isner who struck first, closing the opening tiebreaker with a 132 mph (212 kph) ace down the middle. That was the first set dropped by del Potro in the tournament.

He managed to take the next three, though, and now meets Nadal for the 17th time on tour.

Nadal leads 11-5, including the past three, each at a Grand Slam tournament: in the semifinals of the US Open last year, followed by the semifinals of the French Open and a five-set thriller in the Wimbledon quarterfinals this year.

source: philstar.com