"Landep News"
Nadal struggles through final eight
It took second seed Rafa Nadal nearly four hours to oust compatriot Fernando Verdasco whom the former world champion edged in three sets 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 to make the progress through the Cincinnati quarter finals.
The two won four breaks, each, but Rafa was the one to manage the game and clinch the victory at the death and despite playing worse than his opponent. Verdasco won 63 percent of service points, 38 of return ones, winning at the same time 79 percent of first serve points, compared to the favorite who finished the game with a 62 service percentage and a 71 first serve one. Verdasco also hit eight aces past his conational who fired five unstoppable serves.
Said a disappointed Verdasco after the game: “You enjoy always a good match, but when you lose in this way, of course it’s not easy, because it could have been a big win. You have it so close; tennis is like that. Tennis is very tough. It’s a very hard sport, not easy mentally. You need to be strong and not let these situations affect you.”
Next up for Rafa is Mardy Fish, winner of this term’s Atlanta event. Seventh seed American ousted Richard Gasquet in straight similar sets 7-5, 7-5 and thanks to a couple of late breaks. Fish won 71 percent of service points and hit eight aces past the Frenchman who won 68 percent of service points, failing at the same time to convert his only break point opportunity.
Fish will meet Nadal for the seventh time, the head to head series being led 6-0 by the Spaniard who last defeated the world number seven at this year’s Wimbledon event. The same day fourth seed and winner of the Queens event Andy Murray beat Alex Bogomolov Jr. in two sets 6-2, 7-5 after breaking the American five times of 11 tries.
The Scott won 63 percent of service points, 51 of return and fired 11 aces past the crowd favorite whose showing included a 49 service percentage and a couple of breaks both grabbed in the last term. Murray will next face either Gilles Simon or David Ferrer.
Ferrer beat Grigor Dimitrov in three sets, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6, breaking his opponent five times. The Spaniard, who is chasing his third title of the season in Cincinnati after Acapulco and Auckland successes, won 62 percent of service points, but also conceded a couple of services, allowing the Bulgarian to create seven break point chances.
His next opponent Simon also needed three sets to oust Janko Tipsarevic whom the Frenchman eliminated after surviving an early scare, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3. Tenth favorite Simon converted six of 12 break point chances, and conceded two of his own services. He also won 64 percent of service points and 45 of return, compared to his opponent who won just 55 percent of service points and 36 on return.
Simon will meet the world number six Ferrer for the third time, being expected to chase his first win against the 29-year-old. Spaniard’s wins both date from 2007, the first one at the Bastad event and the other at the Monaco Masters.
Toams Berdych has also secured a quarter final berth after easing past ninth favorite Nicolas Almagro, winner of three titles this season, 6-2, 6-2. The Czech, an eighth seeded in Cincinnati, converted four of five break points, saving at the same time the only break point opportunity created by the Spaniard who could only win 25 percent of return points.
Berdych won 75 percent of service points and 48 coming from the opposite side, hitting 11 aces and setting a 48 first serve percentage. He will next meet either Roger Federer or James Blake. The former world champion Federer beat Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3, 7-5 in his debut after breaking the US Open champion twice. The Swiss saved the only break point chance, winning 74 percent of service points and 42 of return ones.
Veteran Blake eased past Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-2, needing three breaks to secure a third term berth. The American, who will meet Federer for the 11th time in career, won 76 percent of service points and hit seven aces past his opponent who finished the game with a 53 first serve percentage, including four double faults.
On the same fist half of the draw, top seed Novak Djokovic is to meet Radek Stepanek. The Serb, winner of five Masters events this season, eased past American Ryan Harrison 6-2, 6-3 in his debut, grabbing five breaks and conceding just a couple of services. Nole won 65 percent of service points, while Harrison’s showing featured a 45 service percentage, but also a couple of breaks both picked in the opener.
Djokovic will meet Stepanek for the seventh time, the direct confrontations being led 5-1 by the world leader who last defeated the world number 29 at the 2009 Basel event. Stepanek’s only win comes from the 2006 Rotterdam tournament.
Gael Monfils has made a free progress after his opponent Ivan Dodig abandoned the meeting at 6-4, 3-6, 0-4 down, and will next meet this year’s Halle winner Philipp Kohlschreiber who eased pat Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 6-4 in the second round. The German conceded 11 aces but replied with three breaks and an impressive 85 service percentage. On the other side, the Spaniard won just 18 percent of return points, committing at the same time four double faults.
Cincinnati Prize Money and points:
Winner – $496,000 and 1000 points ATP
Runner-up – $243,200 and 600 points ATP
Semi finalist – $122,400 and 360 points ATP
Quarter finalist – $62,240 and 180 points ATP
R16 – $32,320 and 90 points ATP
R32 – $17,040 and 45 points ATP
R56 – $9,200 and 10 points ATP
Thank's for link:
0 Response to "Nadal struggles through final eight"
Post a Comment