Nadal pulls out with injury to hand a semis spot to Murray
Source: Agencies |
January 27, 2010, Wednesday
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TROUBLESOME knees cost Rafa Nadal a chance to regain the confidence that has been missing from his game since he lifted the Australian Open title last year, the Spaniard said yesterday.
Briton Andy Murray instead advanced to the Melbourne Park semifinals after the 23-year-old world No. 2 retired while trailing 0-3 in the third set.
Murray had already won the first two sets 6-3, 7-6 before Nadal called for an medical time out to have his right knee treated. He lasted just a few more minutes before he shook his head and told Murray he could not continue.
Nadal said it was a recurrence of the problems that forced him out of the defense of his Wimbledon title and away from the ATP Tour last year for more than two months.
Since he returned to the courts, Nadal has beaten only one top-10 player, though he said yesterday he felt he was close to returning to his best and regaining his confidence - something he had not felt since he beat Roger Federer in five sets at Melbourne Park last year.
"For me it's a little bit disappointing (to) have the pain on the knee because I think I am very close to start winning these important matches," he said.
"I had big chances to win both sets and against probably the player who is playing better right now, I was very close.
"So I go out from this tournament very happy about my level because the perspective is much better right now than two or three months ago."
Andy Roddick also went out of the Australian Open yesterday, struggling with a shoulder injury before going down in five sets to Marin Cilic.
Murray will play a semifinal against Cilic, who beat No. 7 Roddick 7-6 (4), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3.
The 22-year-old Murray can hardly wait to play his semifinal against Cilic.
"I lost to him at the US Open in straight sets, so I'm looking for a little revenge," Murray said. "If I play like I did tonight I have got a good chance. Obviously nerves are going to be there with an opportunity to make a final of a slam."
Roddick struggled through a right shoulder injury that impaired his movement, but he expects no long-term damage.
Roddick's only major has been the 2003 US Open, the last time an American man has won a grand slam singles title, marking the country's longest drought in men's majors.
Despite playing strongly in the third and fourth sets to level the match, Roddick fell apart in the final set, allowing No. 14 Cilic to break twice and send the last American man out of the singles draw at Melbourne Park.
Roddick said he didn't practice on Monday after feeling a twinge in his shoulder during Sunday's fourth-round win over Fernando Gonzalez.
"The trainer said it was stemming from the neck down," Roddick said. "By the end of the first set, I was pretty numb in the bottom two fingers. I could still hit it pretty hard; I was just having trouble controlling it."
Seven-time grand slam singles winner Justine Henin, who returned from 20 months in retirement, advanced by beating Nadia Petrova 7-6 (3), 7-5 to take out the last seeded player in her half of the draw.
Briton Andy Murray instead advanced to the Melbourne Park semifinals after the 23-year-old world No. 2 retired while trailing 0-3 in the third set.
Murray had already won the first two sets 6-3, 7-6 before Nadal called for an medical time out to have his right knee treated. He lasted just a few more minutes before he shook his head and told Murray he could not continue.
Nadal said it was a recurrence of the problems that forced him out of the defense of his Wimbledon title and away from the ATP Tour last year for more than two months.
Since he returned to the courts, Nadal has beaten only one top-10 player, though he said yesterday he felt he was close to returning to his best and regaining his confidence - something he had not felt since he beat Roger Federer in five sets at Melbourne Park last year.
"For me it's a little bit disappointing (to) have the pain on the knee because I think I am very close to start winning these important matches," he said.
"I had big chances to win both sets and against probably the player who is playing better right now, I was very close.
"So I go out from this tournament very happy about my level because the perspective is much better right now than two or three months ago."
Andy Roddick also went out of the Australian Open yesterday, struggling with a shoulder injury before going down in five sets to Marin Cilic.
Murray will play a semifinal against Cilic, who beat No. 7 Roddick 7-6 (4), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3.
The 22-year-old Murray can hardly wait to play his semifinal against Cilic.
"I lost to him at the US Open in straight sets, so I'm looking for a little revenge," Murray said. "If I play like I did tonight I have got a good chance. Obviously nerves are going to be there with an opportunity to make a final of a slam."
Roddick struggled through a right shoulder injury that impaired his movement, but he expects no long-term damage.
Roddick's only major has been the 2003 US Open, the last time an American man has won a grand slam singles title, marking the country's longest drought in men's majors.
Despite playing strongly in the third and fourth sets to level the match, Roddick fell apart in the final set, allowing No. 14 Cilic to break twice and send the last American man out of the singles draw at Melbourne Park.
Roddick said he didn't practice on Monday after feeling a twinge in his shoulder during Sunday's fourth-round win over Fernando Gonzalez.
"The trainer said it was stemming from the neck down," Roddick said. "By the end of the first set, I was pretty numb in the bottom two fingers. I could still hit it pretty hard; I was just having trouble controlling it."
Seven-time grand slam singles winner Justine Henin, who returned from 20 months in retirement, advanced by beating Nadia Petrova 7-6 (3), 7-5 to take out the last seeded player in her half of the draw.
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