TENNIS – Rafa Nadal edged past Bernard Tomic 6-4 6-7(6) 6-3 in 2 hours and 20 minutes to get through to the semifinals of the Mercedes Cup ATP 250 in Stuttgart. Nadal played much better today than in his first match against Marcos Baghdatis. Diego Sampaolo
In the 1st set Nadal took advantage of the many errors made by Tomic to pull away for 5-3. Tomic saved two set points on his serve for 4-5. Tomic had 3 break points on Nadal serve to level the set but the Spaniard toughed it out and closed out the game for 6-4. Tomic went down an early break in the 2nd set but he broke back with a magnificent backhand for 1-1. They remained on serve forcing a tiebreaker to decide the set.
In the tie-break Tomic saved a match point with an ace at 5-6 and then sent on to win two more points to take it 8-6 points and level the match at a set apiece. However, Nadal bounced back opening up the 3rd set a 3-0 lead en route to winning the set with 6-3 and thus the match.
Nadal will take on Gael Monfils in the semifinal. The Frenchman overcame Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5 3-6 6-3 to reach his fifth semifinal of the year. After trading breaks in the start of the 1st set both players held serve until the 11th game when Monfils converted on a break point to take the 6-5 lead. He then saved two break points to hold and take the set 7-5.
Kohlschreiber won the 2nd set 6-3 after saving 4 break points at 5-3. Monfils broke the German in the 4th game of the 3rd set for 3-1. Monfils later closed out the set 6-3. Monfils converted 3/7 break points and hit 17 aces in the match.
2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic fought back from a set down to edge Mischa Zverev with 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(5). In the semifinal Cilic will face Viktor Troicki who beat Sam Groth 7-6(3) 6-1
