Brutal Nadal sweeps aside Murray - 美網 Tennis

Page last updated at 19:12 GMT, Wednesday, 2 July 2008 20:12 UK
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7482798.stm


Wimbledon 2008All England Club, 23 June-6 July

By Caroline Cheese
BBC Sport at Wimbledon


World number two Rafael Nadal crushed Andy Murray's Wimbledon hopes with
a sensational display on Centre Court.

The second seed triumphed 6-3 6-2 6-4 in just one hour and 55 minutes to
reach the semi-finals.

A stirring comeback against Richard Gasquet had raised British hopes that
Murray might be able to cause an upset. But the 21-year-old appeared weary,
while Nadal was superb. The Spaniard did not face a single break point and
lost just 10 points on serve.

And a packed Centre Court crowd, who had come in the hope of seeing
Murray repeat the heroics of Monday's win over Gasquet, were left to applaud
the brilliance of Nadal.

"I played my best match here for sure," said Nadal, who will have to wait to
discover his next opponent as Arnaud Clement and Rainer Schuettler were
forced to stop playing because of fading light when locked at one set all.

He's going to be in the top five very soon if he keeps playing like this
Nadal on Murray

"I tried to play aggressively all the time, and tried to attack his second
serve, but a win like this is always surprising - against someone like Andy
who came back so well against Gasquet.

"Probably he felt tired. It's always tough in Grand Slams, so that's normal.
I'm sorry for him, but he's going to be in the top five very soon if he keeps
playing like this and he has a good chance of winning Wimbledon."

The warning signs were there for Murray in the opening game, with Nadal
serving.



Interview: Rafael Nadal

Trailing 40-0, the Scot stepped up and belted a fabulous backhand return
right at Nadal's feet - but the Spaniard merely rocked back and effortlessly
half-volleyed a forehand onto the opposing baseline, putting his opponent on
the back foot.

It set the tone for the match. Whatever Murray threw at Nadal, the world
number two just came back with better.

Having squandered a break point at 3-2, Nadal earned two more when Murray
shanked a forehand beyond the baseline and clinched it when the 21-year-old
sent a routine smash long - to horrified gasps from the crowd.

Nadal did not let up in the second set, and perhaps even stepped up a
gear.

At 1-1, Murray, bowing to relentless pressure from the other end, threw
in two errors off the ground followed by a double fault to concede the break.

The crowd were, by now, almost silent, seeking a flash of inspiration
from their man where none was forthcoming.

606: DEBATE
Your verdict on Murray's performance against Nadal

Murray was listless, partly the result of his five-set win on Monday
and partly drained by the pressure from Nadal, and he was broken again as
Nadal wrapped up the second set in 33 minutes.

The crowd briefly came to life in the third set as Murray bravely fought
off two break points at 2-2, roaring his approval.

But this was not to be the start of a miracle comeback. Nadal raced
through a love service game and immediately set about doing what he had
failed to manage in the previous game.


Interview: Andy Murray

He twice pegged Murray back to deuce at 3-3 before the Briton made another
couple of errors to hand Nadal the advantage.

Murray received a huge roar of approval when he raced up to the net and
passed Nadal to make the Spaniard serve out his victory.

But serve it out he did, as Murray sent a tired forehand long on match
point.

Clement and Schuettler will resume their quarter-final on Thursday after
play was halted following one hour and 55 minutes of action.

Clement started the match slowly and Schuettler took hold of the first
set with the decisive break in the fourth game.

The second set was a tense affair, the initiative repeatedly changing
hands, and Clement sealed the break in the final game with a winner down the
line.

And with the score poised at 6-3 5-7 and light fading, an official
appeared on court and after speaking with players and the umpire, play was
suspended.





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║ソフトバンク,軟體銀行四大天王 ║ＳＯＦＴＢＡＮＫ║ ﹦ ║
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║カズミ サイトウ,トシヤ スギウチ,ナギサ アラカキ,ツヨシ ワダ ║
║192cm,96kg 175cm,82kg 189cm,81kg 179cm,77kg ║
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