The U.S. has played two finals in Cincinnati, falling to Andy Roddick in 2003 and in 2010 Roger Federer
Mardy Fish has qualified for the semifinals of the 1000 Cincinnati Masters after two rounds defeating Rafael Nadal, who had never previously won. While the Spanish repeats the quarterfinals last year, the U.S. will seek his third final in this tournament against Andy Murray, who beat Gilles Simon.
In the six previous between both players (Indian Wells 2006, Queen's 2006, Madrid 2006, Wimbledon 2006, U.S. Open 2008, Wimbledon 2011), Rafa Nadal Mardy Fish had bowed to, and these increasingly intense confrontations and even. In Cincinnati the U.S. has broken the story and got his first victory over the Spanish, who won by an aggregate score of 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and thirty-nine minutes in the clash played in the second turn of the Lindner Family Tennis Central Tennis.
Fish jumped to the mat past revolutions, too concerned not to give options to Nadal in the exchange. Their mistakes have led him to save two break balls in the opening game, but its successful sartenazos at the bottom track and its good performance in the network allowed him to maintain balance on the scoreboard. As in previous days, Nadal played to the rhythm of his opponent and missed the first time trouble was, `giving away 'with a double fault the break Fish in the fourth game of the match. Since then, the U.S. demonstrated the maturity of mind which led him to 'Top Ten' at 29 years and knew how to manage income to sign the first set. The statistics hit winners (16-1) leaves very clearly the difference in the audacity of one another during the first act.
Nadal battled against the elements
In the second set, multiplied the problems for Nadal. Besides the relentless game of Fish, has not yielded a single service so far this championship had to deal with the errors of the line judges, too erratic, and discomfort in your blisters (left foot and right hand) that required medical treatment on track. In purely sporting, the Spaniard fought and I can not want more after conceding a new break in the fifth game of the set. Fish, meanwhile, had its day of grace and took advantage, gathering a great service (made 220 km / h) and an automated pull-volley game. He even dared to left and from bottom to play Rafa!. While Spanish is deflated, the U.S. swelled in happiness, giving to win for the first time in your career at a rival institution's Nadal.
In the semifinals, Fish will have to face to face with Britain's Andy Murray, who won with authority to Gilles Simon of France by a score of 6-3 and 6-3 after one hour and thirty-five minutes game crash that opened the day on Grandstand court. Are the third semi-final British number 4 ranking in these parts after those of 2008 (won the tournament after beating Novak Djokovic in the final) and 2009 (lost to Roger Federer). Fish and Murray were measured seven times to date, with a wealth of favorable to Minnesota 4-3.