Rome Final: Nadal vs. Ferrer; Stuttgart, Henin vs. Stosur McEnroe to Face Borg in Boston By Matthew Cronin
FRIDAY, APRIL 30- Rafael Nadal finally
got a stern test on clay and while he didn’t play perfectly against
a zoning Ernests Gulbis, he did what he usually does when he’s felling
confident wear a foe down as the match grows later.
Mark SandersonMac
will meet primary rival Borg .
The result was a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win for the Spaniard in the Rome semis,
where he’ll meet compatriot David Ferrer, who overcame
a tired Fernando Verdasco 7-5 6-3. Nadal is 10-3 against Ferrer.
Gulbis who upset Roger Federer earlier in the week, fired 50 winners,
mostly behind his big serve and forehand, and managed to push Nadal off
the court at times, but didn’t have the same strength that Nadal
had in his legs and was broken at love to lose the match.
“I did my best and I lost but that was good. I'm happy the way I'm
playing,” Gulbis said. “I'm playing well and I know that I
can now play against top players. When I play well, I am a trouble for
any player.” Reports say that WTA players Vika Azarenka
and Daniela Hantuchova attended the match.
Verdasco now needs rest post his run to the Monte Carlo final, his title
run in Barcelona and then his long win over Novak Djokovic in the Rome
quarters.
"I was tired, not just after 5-1, ever since I woke up," Verdasco
said. "He broke me for the first time, got confidence, saw that I
was tired and the match changed completely Yesterday's match was very
long, hard and physical. I was feeling good mentally but my body wasn't
the same so I was slower and had less power.When your legs don't go like
you want against a player like this, your chances are very small…
Believe it or not, it will be all US Davis Cup team doubles final
in Rome as John/Isner Sam Querrey will meet the Bryan Brothers.
Bob Bryan tweeted: “Who says Americans can't get dirty on the clay?”
Pat McEnroe is smiling somewhere.
In Stuttgart, Sam Stosur beat Anna Lapushchenkova 7-5
6-3, while Justine Henin took down Shahar Peer (Israel)
6-3 6-2. It was Stosur’s 11th straight win, all on clay (green and
red) , but its hard to see her toppling Henin if the Belgians is locked
in early. She’s too quick and has too much variety for her. But
if Henin doesn’t serve well and her forehand is off, it’s
game on…Lefty Iveta Benesova won her second career title in Fes
by besting 18-year-old Simona Halep 6-4 6-2. Halep had upset the Czech
last month in Marbella.
John McEnroe put down Mats Wilander 6-3, 6-4 Friday in
the quarters of the $150,000 Staples Champions Cup in Boston and will
meet old rival Bjorn Borg in the Saturday evening session.
Jim Courier and Mark Philippoussis will compete in the other semifinal
match, Courier advanced by defeating Jimmy Arias 6-3, 6-3. McEnroe and
Borg played 14 times during their careers, each player winning seven times.
