Friday, May 9, 2025
spot_img

Nadal toils into Queen’s quarters

Date:

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

LONDON: Rafael Nadal had to dig deep to reach the quarter-finals at Queen’s with a hard-fought 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 win against Czech veteran Radek Stepanek on Thursday.

Few players have made the switch from clay to grass courts more effectively than Nadal, but the French Open champion is taking a while to find his feet on the lush lawns of west London as he prepares for the defence of his Wimbledon title.

The top seeded Spaniard admits he could do with some time off as he is still drained by his heroics in Paris and the strain showed a little during this inconsistent display.

So far Nadal has struggled to recapture the magical shot-making that dazzled Roger Federer in the French Open final.

He looked comfortable enough in the first set on Thursday and got the only break in the fifth game as a powerful backhand pass left Stepanek rooted to the spot.

The second set seemed to be following a similar pattern when Nadal broke for a 3-1 lead.

This time Stepanek, aided by some sloppy play from Nadal, broke back as the Spaniard served for the match.

Encouraged by that escape, Stepanek took advantage of a series of Nadal double faults to break again and then serve out the set.

At such pressurised moments Nadal usually finds the winning formula.

So it proved in the final set as he finally found some momentum, breaking twice in succession to set up a last eight clash against French fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Meanwhile, world number four Andy Murray ignored the pain of his ankle injury to reach the last eight with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) win over Serbian 14th seed Janko Tipsarevic. (Agencies)

spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

Amid Indo-Pak tensions, Cong launches countrywide ‘Jai Hind Yatra’ to honour bravery of armed forces

New Delhi, May 9: The Congress on Friday launched ‘Jai Hind Yatra’ at all state headquarters across the...

Pakistan’s imported weaponry no match against India’s indigenous missile systems

New Delhi, May 9: India’s homegrown missile systems are proving to be a formidable deterrent to Pakistan’s imported...

In setback to Pakistan, World Bank distances itself from Indus Water Treaty

New Delhi, May 9:  In a major setback to Pakistan, the World Bank made it clear on Friday...

India surpasses Germany to become world’s 3rd-largest producer of wind, solar energy

New Delhi, May 9: India is now the world's third-largest producer of wind and solar energy, surpassing Germany,...