Rafael Nadal took a breather on Saturday with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Gael Monfils after a week of marathon matches to reach yesterday’s final with Andy Murray at the Rotterdam Open.
Spain’s Australian Open champion was finally able to advance in energy-saving style after going the distance in his first three victories. It still took him more than 90 minutes to defeat an opponent suffering with stomach problems.
The world No. 1 will line up against Scottish second-seed Murray in a dream final for organizers.
PHOTO: AFP
Murray roared into the final on Saturday with a lightning 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Mario Ancic, but is facing a fitness test because of a sore right ankle.
Monfils managed 10 aces and broke Nadal once in the Spaniard’s first service game. Nadal now leads their series 4-1.
British No. 1 Murray was ruthless in a 61-minute victory after losing to Ancic in three of four previous encounters. But Murray said that he was occasionally troubled by his ankle and doesn’t know how or when he picked up the problem.
“I know that I felt it about 20 minutes after my match yesterday [a win over Frenchman Marc Giquel],” he said. “I’ve iced it and it feels OK now.”
Nadal sent his record this year to 13-1 as he reached the title match, where he holds a 5-1 ATP record over Murray.
Murray will be aiming for his second title of the season after starting the year with a trophy in Doha. The 21-year-old Scot has won his 12th match of the year against just one loss, in the Australian Open fourth round to Fernando Verdasco. The second seed has been on a Rotterdam roll, claiming three of his four matches in straight sets.
■SAP OPEN
AFP, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
Fourth-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek rallied to beat top seed and defending champion Andy Roddick on Saturday and reach the final of the US$600,000 ATP hardcourt tournament.
Stepanek downed Roddick 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to line up a clash against fifth-seeded Mardy Fish.
Fish notched a 6-3, 6-2 victory over third-seeded James Blake, who was hobbled by a sore right ankle.
“I had no idea his ankle was that bad,” Fish said. “It’s just a testament to James. He has never defaulted in a match in his career.”
Blake trailed 1-2 in the first set when he asked for a trainer and had his ankle retaped. He had the process repeated at the end of the first set, but to no avail.
“It affected me more than I thought it would have when I did it,” Blake said. “I just iced it a few times yesterday and taped it up. I thought I’d be ready to go.”
The trainer told Blake he wouldn’t damage the ankle further, so he decided to continue.
“I thought if I wasn’t going to hurt it any more, I could suck up the pain for 20 minutes, 30 minutes and make it a little better for the fans, hopefully, and better for Mardy to feel like he earned a victory, which he did,” Blake said.
■OPEN GDF SUEZ
AFP, PARIS
Russia’s Elena Dementieva reached the final of the Paris Open on Saturday after her semi-final opponent, Serena Williams, pulled out with a knee injury.
No. 1 seed Williams had secured her place in the last four on Friday by defeating French qualifier Emilie Loit 6-4, 6-1, although the American was made to work much harder than she had done in her opening matches. In yesterday’s final Dementieva was set to meet revitalized Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo, who stunned Serbian second seed Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 0-6, 6-1.
Williams, fresh from her Australian Open win, said she had felt pain during her match with Loit.
“My knees have been really good and I’m really optimistic. I think they’ll continue to be really good,” Williams said. “I just have been playing a lot of tennis, so maybe it’s just a sign that I’ll need to take a day or two off and get ready for the next event.”
Former world No. 1 Mauresmo, now 24th on the rankings, reached her first final in 18 months and is trying to lift her first trophy since Antwerp in February 2007.
World No. 3 Jankovic is the third top-10 player Mauresmo has beaten this year after seeing off Serbia’s French Open champion Ana Ivanovic in Brisbane and Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarter-finals in Paris.
Mauresmo set up victory based on an impressive serve that saw her send down six aces.
Dementieva and Mauresmo were set to meet for the 15th time yesterday, with the Frenchwoman holding an 8-6 advantage, although the Russian has won their last two meetings.
■PATTAYA OPEN
AP, PATTAYA, THAILAND
Top-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia toppled India’s Sania Mirza 7-5, 6-1 in the Pattaya Open final yesterday to win her eighth WTA career title.
The world No. 5 Russian had some difficulties handling her opponent’s big forehands in the first set, but was too strong in the second, clinching the trophy in one hour and 17 minutes.
Zvonareva, an Australian Open semi-finalist, charged into the match with a 5-2 lead in the first set, but lost the next three games to Mirza’s powerful forehand and sharp crosscourt winners.
At 6-5, the Russian set up a second set point with a backhand winner and then forced a backhand error from the Indian to break Mirza’s serve and win the set.
She managed a double break in the fourth and sixth games and won the match when Mirza sailed a backhand wide.
The Indian, formerly ranked No. 27 but now No. 126 as she makes her way back from long-term wrist injuries, was encouraged by her strong start this year. She won the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.
Zvonareva won two titles last year, at Prague and Guangzhou, China. Mirza had been aiming to win her second WTA singles title after Hyderabad in 2005.
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