Nadal sent packing by compatriot in Thailand
Source: Agencies |
October 3, 2010, Sunday
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TOP-RANKED Rafael Nadal suffered a surprise loss in the Thailand Open semifinals yesterday, going down 6-2, 6-7 (3), 3-6 to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in an all-Spanish semifinal.
The 53rd-ranked Garcia-Lopez became only the seventh player to beat Nadal in 2010, surprising his fellow Spaniard with an impressive string of winners and flat, wide serves - including 10 aces in Nonthaburi, outside Bangkok.
"It's a difficult loss to accept," Nadal said, openly stunned by the upset. "It's one of those matches you are going to lose once every two years."
Nadal had played Garcia-Lopez twice before and not dropped a set, and he looked on his way to another routine win when he took the first set, but the top seed paid the price for taking only two of 26 break points.
Garcia-Lopez saved 16 break points in the second set to force a tiebreak, taking it 7-3, and then snatched his only break point opportunity in the fourth game of the decider.
"I had a lot of break point chances in the second set, too many chances," Nadal said after seeing his nine-match winning streak end. "He played a great match especially in the third set, but I was playing better than him in the beginning.
"I didn't play the break points well. With 26 opportunities to break you have to take your chances."
Nadal was playing his first tournament since winning the US Open and becoming the seventh man to complete a career grand slam.
The 24-year-old, who has won seven titles already this year, is next due to play at the Shanghai Masters from October 10.
The 53rd-ranked Garcia Lopez, in his second ATP final, will face Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, who continued his impressive run with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Germany's Benjamin Becker.
The 29-year-old Nieminen, ranked 60, reached his first final of the year thanks to some sharp groundstrokes and an accurate first serve.
"I feel great," Nieminen said. "I haven't been in a final for a while, the last time was in Sydney 2009."
The Finn has not dropped a set in his run to the final.
The 53rd-ranked Garcia-Lopez became only the seventh player to beat Nadal in 2010, surprising his fellow Spaniard with an impressive string of winners and flat, wide serves - including 10 aces in Nonthaburi, outside Bangkok.
"It's a difficult loss to accept," Nadal said, openly stunned by the upset. "It's one of those matches you are going to lose once every two years."
Nadal had played Garcia-Lopez twice before and not dropped a set, and he looked on his way to another routine win when he took the first set, but the top seed paid the price for taking only two of 26 break points.
Garcia-Lopez saved 16 break points in the second set to force a tiebreak, taking it 7-3, and then snatched his only break point opportunity in the fourth game of the decider.
"I had a lot of break point chances in the second set, too many chances," Nadal said after seeing his nine-match winning streak end. "He played a great match especially in the third set, but I was playing better than him in the beginning.
"I didn't play the break points well. With 26 opportunities to break you have to take your chances."
Nadal was playing his first tournament since winning the US Open and becoming the seventh man to complete a career grand slam.
The 24-year-old, who has won seven titles already this year, is next due to play at the Shanghai Masters from October 10.
The 53rd-ranked Garcia Lopez, in his second ATP final, will face Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, who continued his impressive run with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Germany's Benjamin Becker.
The 29-year-old Nieminen, ranked 60, reached his first final of the year thanks to some sharp groundstrokes and an accurate first serve.
"I feel great," Nieminen said. "I haven't been in a final for a while, the last time was in Sydney 2009."
The Finn has not dropped a set in his run to the final.
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