Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200806/20080614/article_363137.htm
Nadal struggles against teenager
Created: 2008-6-14, Updated: 2008-6-13 23:03:42
TOP seed Rafael Nadal struggled into the quarterfinals of the Queen's Club tournament on Thursday, beating Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
After his stunning demolition of the field at Roland Garros, the Spaniard looked human after all against Nishikori on the slippery grasscourts in west London.
The king of clay seemed to have things under control until some uncharacteristic mistakes handed world No. 113 Nishikori a break for a 5-3 lead in the second set.
Nadal quickly regained the initiative in the third set to ward off a shock but the Mallorcan will need to sharpen up in the quarterfinal against Croatian ace-machine Ivo Karlovic who out-gunned Chile's Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 7-5.
That match ended in unusual circumstances when Gonzalez, who had already been given a point penalty in the first set for smashing his racket, was docked the last game for ball abuse.
"It's not going to be a funny match," Nadal said of his impending clash with Karlovic.
Third seed Andy Roddick, the defending champion, needed just one set to get past Mardy Fish when his fellow American and close friend retired injured after losing a tight first set 7-6. Lleyton Hewitt came back from 1-4 down in the first set against Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu to win 6-4, 6-4 and set up a quarterfinal with second seed Novak Djokovic who beat fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
After his stunning demolition of the field at Roland Garros, the Spaniard looked human after all against Nishikori on the slippery grasscourts in west London.
The king of clay seemed to have things under control until some uncharacteristic mistakes handed world No. 113 Nishikori a break for a 5-3 lead in the second set.
Nadal quickly regained the initiative in the third set to ward off a shock but the Mallorcan will need to sharpen up in the quarterfinal against Croatian ace-machine Ivo Karlovic who out-gunned Chile's Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 7-5.
That match ended in unusual circumstances when Gonzalez, who had already been given a point penalty in the first set for smashing his racket, was docked the last game for ball abuse.
"It's not going to be a funny match," Nadal said of his impending clash with Karlovic.
Third seed Andy Roddick, the defending champion, needed just one set to get past Mardy Fish when his fellow American and close friend retired injured after losing a tight first set 7-6. Lleyton Hewitt came back from 1-4 down in the first set against Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu to win 6-4, 6-4 and set up a quarterfinal with second seed Novak Djokovic who beat fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Agencies
Copyright © 2001-2009 Shanghai Daily Publishing House