Rafael Nadal edged past Andrey Kuznetsov in three sets 6-3 5-7 6-4 after 2 hours and 8 minutes to reach the semifinals of the Qatar Open. Nadal has qualified for his fifth semifinal since the ATP 500 in Beijing where he eventually lost to Novak Djokovic in the final. Nadal converted five of his ten break points but he dropped his serve on all the four break points he faced.
Rafa broke serve in the second game of the opening set but he did not convert two set points at 5-2 but closed out the set in the next game.
Nadal faced a tough second set where he went up a break but Kuznetsov clawed his way back into the match with his powerful forehands. Nadal was broken to love to go down 1-3. Nadal reeled off three consecutive games with two breaks of serve. Kuznetsov broke Nadal to love at 3-4 and went up 0-30 at 5-4 but made unforced errors allowing Nadal to save himself from the danger. The Russian player broke serve in the 12th game for 7-5 to take the match to the third set. It was the first time that Kuznetsov won a set against Nadal.
There were three breaks from 3-3 in the third set. Nadal wasted a break lead but he took Kuznetsov’s serve again in the 9th game. Nadal served out in the next game to secure his spot in the semifinals.
Nadal hit 22 winners to 22 unforced errors compared to Kuznetsov’s 40 winners and 38 unforced errors.
Nadal will face David Ferrer’s conqueror Ilya Marchenko from the Ukraine who beat Jeremy Chardy 6-3 7-6 (7-3) in one hour and 35 minutes. Marchenko called for two medical timeouts during the second set and received treatment due to a back problem.
“Winning matches in three sets is very good news and very positive thing. That happens when you are fresh mentally, when you are able to analyse well what’s going on in the match. Last year I lost a lot of matches like today’s match. So for me it’s so important to win these kind of matches”, said Nadal.
Nadal will face David Ferrer’s conqueror Ilya Marchenko from the Ukraine who beat Jeremy Chardy 6-3 7-6 (7-3) in one hour and 35 minutes. Marchenko called for two medical timeouts during the second set and received treatment due to a back problem.
https://youtu.be/RDu5L_9oJpc
Novak Djokovic overcame dropping his serve in the first two games of each set to beat Leonardo Mayer Mayer from Argentina 6-3 7-5. Mayer broke serve in the first game of the second set and served for it at 5-4 but he was broken to love in the 10th game when he made four unforced errors. Djokovic won the next two games to secure his first semifinal in the Qatar Open.
“Winning matches in three sets is very good news and very positive thing. That happens when you are fresh mentally, when you are able to analyse well what’s going on in the match. Last year I lost a lot of matches like today’s match. So for me it’s so important to win these kind of matches”, said Nadal
Novak Djokovic overcame dropping his serve in the first two games of each set to beat Leonardo Mayer Mayer from Argentina 6-3 7-5. Mayer broke serve in the first game of the second set and served for it at 5-4 but he was broken to love in the 10th game when he hit a overhead smash into the net. Djokovic won the next two games to secure his first semifinal in the Qatar Open.
Djokovic will face Tomas Berdych who broke three times en route to his 6-3 6-2 win over British rising star Kyle Edmund, who will turn 21 on Friday. Edmund, who will move into the top.90, did not convert on his four break point chances.
“I think it was a good test. It was good to have a match like this, definitely, to see where I am and I’m just glad to go through this one in straight sets,” said Djokovic.
“I think I have played better first and second sets, but credit to him for being solid and going for his shots. The second set was very close and it could have gone his way. It was a good test to see where I am”.
Djokovic will face Tomas Berdych who broke three times en route to his 6-3 6-2 win over British rising star Kyle Edmund, who will turn 21 on Friday. Edmund, who will move into the top.90, did not convert on his four break point chances.
https://youtu.be/zMNtaFzcJVI
