Del Potro stuns Nadal at Miami ATP Masters
Juan Martin del Potro shocked world number one Rafael Nadal in the
quarter-finals of the Miami ATP Masters 1000 Thursday, downing the
top-seeded Spaniard 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3).
In the semi-finals, the sixth-seeded Argentinian will face world
number four Andy Murray of Britain, who beat eighth-seeded Spaniard
Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-2.
Nadal, who won his sixth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open,
also won the first Masters 1000 crown of the year at Indian Wells in
March.
He had won all four of his previous meetings with del Potro without
dropping a set - including a quarter-final victory at Indian Wells.
But before a raucous, largely pro-del Potro crowd the Argentinian
fought back from 0-3 down in the third set to prevail in the tiebreaker.
"Today, I did everything," del Potro said. "I served very good, and
hit with my forehand with big confidence.
"To beat Rafa, you have to be in good shape in every part of your
game, and today I did a great job."
Nadal saved three match points in the 12th game of the final set -
two of them with aces - to force the tiebreaker.
But del Potro was not to be denied, winning the final five points of
the decider to advance.
Del Potro hit three straight winners to give himself three more match
points at 6-3 in the tiebreaker. Nadal fired a backhand into the net on
the first of them, sending the fans into a frenzy.
"Wonderful for the crowd, terrible for me," said Nadal, although he
said he enjoyed the excitement surrounding the three-hour duel.
"That's good for tennis, to have a crowd like this. It was a really
good atmosphere."
Nadal, who also reached the final in Rotterdam in February as his
2009 campaign got off to a sizzling start, said he didn't play well, but
he praised his rival.
"I have no excuses. Juan Martin played better than I did," Nadal
said.
Even so, Nadal said the whole match was a struggle for him.
"I think I played really bad all the time," Nadal said. "When I have
3-0 in the third I played worse. It was amazing disaster." MIAMI, AFP |