2008

Sam Querrey arrived in Madrid to cover the lower James Blake. And, as expected, the Californian offered more resistance to his fellow New Yorker tired. Supported by the memory of the nearby U.S. Open, where he also was able to snatch the first set to world number one, he raised the game like that then, tough on track, shamelessly to the attack, obtaining the maximum benefit from a service in Madrid , To more than 500 meters above sea level, it increases significantly speed.

Something only evident in the difficulties faced by Nadal to subtract during the first two lines, because the speedometer installed in Las Ventas did not work until the ninth game of the second part.

By then, the speed of Querrey, their ability to move in all directions and its easy adaptation to the sliding gravel-all these characteristics in an improper U.S. 1.98 m. - had reduced its harmful effect on the game of Nadal.

The Balearic Islands, renewed motivation for the occasion, still not provide the imposing image of destroyer hit during the middle of the course, between Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The power of his arm, speed and the boat of his ball does not punish the same way. Even so, looked the propitious moment, the initial doubts of his opponent, to launch their attack to regain control of a match uphill after the start of threatening Querrey.

Very comfortable with his service, the U.S. best result obtained in 2008 on a gravel track (quarter-finals at the Monte Carlo Masters Series), the duel turned into an exchange of blows, where their own, more planes, more deep, dominating a Nadal too far from the bottom line, a little aggressive, unable to add a single point of 'break' in the whole part.

And doubts grew after an unexpected error, a double fault in the tenth point of the game tiebreaker with serving tray at two points in September to its rival. Querrey took the second with his serve, so, of entry, giving life to the shutdown of the U.S. team. In Britain, those who are still at least Nadal increased their disbelief at seeing Querrey to break out of the Spanish just started the second race. Again stuck on the runway, taking advantage of short balls and half height Nadal, Querrey widened the distance.


"When I came back to get back into the match, and so did the audience," added defeated. And is that a set against not enough to worry to Nadal. "That is why we win so many games," Querrey analyzed. "No matter if you lose, it is very hard." The success of the U.S. with the lines disappeared, squandered its advantage and at the instant of the decisive set, with Nadal by subtracting the partial (5-4), chained six other errors by a single service winner.


The Mallorcan acleró step, he managed to get to the center of the track to his rival to take advantage of a double fault and a long right hand to finish a new 'break' with its setback crossfire. The aggressive response from Querrey gave him a point to recover the break. Too late. Nadal did not have brakes (4-1). Another double fault and a blow to the network In the ninth game of the fourth September helped Nadal to complete the work. It was the sign that resembled nothing Querrey in and the player's Home.

Rafael Nadal does not host the finals of the U.S. Open after falling in the semifinals against Scots Andy Murray in a match that was suspended on Saturday due to lluvia.Pese to defeat the world number one has been satisfied with his performance in the fourth Grand Slam of the season. "When I arrived, my situation was probably not the best to play a good tournament, with many parties on my shoulders. I fought and I have done a good championship, so I left the U.S. Open with positive things with a good tournament ", said the Balearic tennis.

Rafael Nadal was dismissed in the best U.S. Open of his career can only do as a number one. To be exact, the number one tennis world: fighting, fighting until the end as when the indomitable Stanley Ketchel made giant Jack Johnson to exclaim: "This man is not human." This Nadal which eliminated Andy Murray, only saying that it fell as large: dropping his fists, fighting until the last breath.

"Rafael is not in a good state of mind or form, for the great effort in recent months. This week we are paying. Except the Olympic Games thanks to encouragement he received from people and other athletes, but here we have been very fair. " Before the resolution of the semifinal Nadal-Murray, the words of Toni Nadal already sounded premonition.

Breaks. But Nadal can only be applied comparisons and phrases of peleadores or bullfighters of legend: Stanley Ketchel ... Manolete: "defied death as a god, fell fighting like a man." The exhaustion of Nadal is reflected in the 20 balls that break Murray took over four sets. Murray hit like a thunder, but that figure is quite unusual.

Despite the exhaustion, despite a Murray in the best moment of his career, and negotiating the termination of the penultimate energy, Nadal pulled ahead in the third set that Arthur Ashe suspended on Saturday with 3-2 and pull for Rafa. For simple refusal to defeat, Nadal won 6-4, extended the match and sowed tension and anxiety among the Team Murray, commanded by his mother, the famous Judy and Miles Maclagan, the coach who has recast the boy Scots.

Nadal withstood a test almost supreme in the second game of the fourth sleeve. That lifted seven balls break, intimidate Murray broke him back ... and went to the front: 3-1. But this Sunday in windy in Flushing Meadows, service and Nadal's legs were not with the rockets that took Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Rafa took ball for 4-2, but failed an easy volea, Murray broke ... and the shadow of the order was extended on Ashe.

In the tenth game, Murray sentenced before a Nadal defeated, not defeated. Federer wants to follow in the footsteps of Tilden. We will have to see it with Murray.

Rafael Nadal was classified for the first time in his career for the U.S. Open semifinals after beating American Mardy Fish in 4 sets, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 and 6-2, which assured him finish 2008 as No. 1 in the world. The flamboyant Prince of Asturias award for Sports is face in the semifinals at British Andy Murray, sixth head series, which defeated in the quarterfinals and after almost four hours party at Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, sixteenth favorite, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (1), 4-6 and 7-5.



The background for Rafa Nadal were more positive than before Mardy Fish. He had played against the United States on four occasions and never had yielded a single set. However, the party was unable to start for the worse Spanish. Fish saved a ball against break in the first game and then broke Nadal service.

With a very aggressive game, in which Fish was played everything no matter what if it fell or not the clubs that launched from the bottom of the track, American got that Nadal does not find its rhythm game during the first sleeve. With points short and supported in a draw devastating, which got up to 9 aces, Fish noted the first set for 3-6 before a Nadal who had two other balls in the break the fifth game when they lost 1-3 on the scoreboard.

The reaction of the worlds number 1
Nadal reacted as the number 1 which is nothing more to begin the second set. He won his first service in white, broke the Fish and kick him returned the 3-0 that the U.S. had endorsed him to Nadal in the first set. Nadal began playing high balls from the bottom of the track and Fish, not forced to accumulate errors. The vol of American remained in the network and their balls did not find the lines so primet frequency as in the set. Thus, Nadal equalled the match after win the second sleeve for a comfortable 6-1.

Presented battle over Fish in the third set. However, the minimum Nadal took that opportunity again break Service American, in the seventh game, to sign the partial 6-4. Rafa also had trouble certify their passage into the semifinals the fourth set. The game of draw-volea of Fish lost his entire Nadal effectiveness and sentenced to a further break in the seventh game a match which ended at 2:10 in the morning, an hour longer own a golfa meeting that a meeting of tennis.

With this victory Nadal enters the club of 20, the number of player who has reached the semifinals of the four tournaments Grand Slam in one season. Something of what today only can boast Federer, Nalbandian, Djokovic and from this Thursday Nadal.

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The jury of the Prince of Asturias Award County this morning the most important prize in the sports world

Rafa Nadal was aware that he was competing "with great athletes. And it is a prize to the trajectory so this quiet because I hope, if not this year, will be the next ". These were the words of Manacor before knowing that the Prince of Asturias Sport can move on to swell their trophy cabinets.

It is a recognition not only to this extraordinary 2008 but also has to be seen as a reward for the record, the tenacity, when, as well said his close friend Carlos Moyà, "not to lay down their arms ever" ... When any other would have stopped running, he would have forgotten the number one and would have been contented with beating another kind of records.

But it is Nadal, the Spanish athlete more relevant today. And is that Rafa reflects everything that is rewarded with the Prince of Asturias. In the first instead, their deeds sports: four consecutive Roland Garros, with the double Wimbledon this year (for the first time since 1980) after two late missed, the best streak in history on any surface (81 consecutive wins on clay), the better number two in history (160 consecutive weeks in that post) and, finally, world number one ... Without forgetting that also looks with pride and Olympic gold that was in 2004, 18, the youngest champion in Davis Cup the full story.

A second requirement is his most human side. Rafa remains the same the first day, according to media with a smile and responding to the maximum possible number of requests from fans. There is nothing strange to see him twenty minutes signing autographs at the conclusion of their training sessions. His behavior has not been altered by his ascension to the top. On the contrary.

And the third alternative: its contribution sport. The contribution of the tennis Nadal no doubt because it has become one of the most popular athletes in the world and their presence on the circuit has meant one of the greatest rivalries in history and has brought, as identifies two legends like Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, the most that has ever seen in the final of Wimbledon.

Rafa is at a higher level. Any recognition, as highlighted his own comrades circuit, is more than deserved.