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SPORTS Saturday 21 april 2018

Nadal's bid for an 11th Monte Carlo title gaining momentum

By JEROME PUGMIRE this tournament to keep his recovering from a torn ten-
MONACO (AP) — Rafael No. 1 ranking, or it will go don, saved three match
Nadal's bid for a record-ex- back to Roger Federer. points and then won the
tending 11th Monte Carlo The way he dismantled tiebreaker in style.
Masters title is proving more Thiem, it appears little can But the big-serving Croat,
comfortable than he imag- stop him from doing so. who needed a few min-
ined after his latest return "The Davis Cup probably utes of massage treatment
from injury. helped to come here with on his sore and bandaged
Others may not be so sur- better rhythm, better con- right knee, faded in the
prised, given how the top- fidence," Nadal said. "But, third set as the heat less-
ranked Spaniard won nine of course, things are going ened.
straight games while beat- much better than what I Nishikori plays No. 3 Alexan-
ing fifth-seeded Dominic thought two weeks, three der Zverev, who beat Rich-
Thiem 6-0, 6-2 to reach the weeks ago. That's the truth." ard Gasquet 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.
semifinals on Friday. Nadal will next face Grigor The sun had long gone
"I played great. I played so Dimitrov, who may pre- when their match finished
well this afternoon, play- fer not to think too much at nearly 9 p.m., delaying
ing very aggressive, back- about their head-to-head Zverev's birthday party.
hand, forehand, serve. I'm rivalry: 10-1 to Nadal. After a grueling duel last-
defending well, returning The fourth-seeded Bulgar- ing 2 hours, 40 minutes,
well," said Nadal, affording ian beat No. 6 David Gof- he might not even have
himself another rare com- fin 6-4, 7-6 (5) in an error- enough energy to blow out
pliment. "It is difficult to play strewn match. a single candle, let alone
better than today. Being Goffin led 4-0 in the second 21.
honest, I have to recognize set but the Belgian missed Zverev collapsed on the
that." three set points at 5-4. clay, his arms outstretched
Nadal recently returned It was a wasteful sort of day in relief. When he got up,
from a right hip injury, which under a blazing Mediterra- his jersey was caked in dirt.
forced him to retire during nean sun. Gasquet trudged to the
the Australian Open quar- Kei Nishikori needed four net and got a warm hug
terfinals. The problem then match points to beat sec- from the imposing German. Japan's Kei Nishikori returns the ball to Croatia's Marin Cilic dur-
flared up again, and he ond-seeded Marin Cilic 6-4, "Thanks everybody for stay- ing their quarterfinal match of the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters
dropped out of the Mexico 6-7 (1), 6-3. ing. It's very special for me," tournament in Monaco, Friday, April, 20, 2018.
Open and Masters tourna- Nishikori, feeling his way an elated Zverev told the Associated Press
ments at Indian Wells and back into tennis after a crowd. "Hopefully it won't
Miami. right wrist injury deprived just be a great birthday, his own — career win 500, taking the first set with one
But since coming back in him of playing in the last but a great year." secured against Zverev's from the back of the court.
early April, Nadal has not two majors, served for the Zverev's birthday had be- older brother — Gasquet But under the glare of the
even dropped a set in five match at 5-4 in the second gun badly when he was continued to upset the floodlights, Zverev fought
straight wins, including two set. Cilic, the Australian broken to love in his first ser- family. that little bit harder and
in singles for Spain in the Open runner-up when the vice game. He tormented Zverev junior beat Gasquet for the fourth
Davis Cup. He needs to win Japanese player was still A day after a milestone of with exquisite drop shots, straight time.q

NADAL self missing Wimbledon on closer to Federer's age.
Continued on Page 17 purpose, or the U.S. Open, "Of course, when you get
The Swiss star is keeping his or Australian, or Rome. older, you need to adjust
aging body fresher by play- These kind of events, I don't a little bit more the efforts
ing a bit less — avoiding see missing (them)." and the calendar. But for
Nadal on clay at Roland The 31-year-old Spaniard me (it) is difficult to say I
Garros or elsewhere — and recently returned from a don't play, for example,
it is working for him. right hip injury which forced grass, or I don't play hard
But Nadal still thinks he can him to retire during the fifth (courts)," Nadal said. "(It) is
play a full schedule. set of his Australian Open not in my plan, but I can't
"There (are) tournaments quarterfinal against Marin say 'never' because I can-
that I can't imagine missing Cilic. not predict what's going to
on purpose, because (they With his 32nd birthday com- be in the future."
are) tournaments that I ing up on June 3 — during Nadal is chasing an 11th Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after defeating Germany's Alexan-
love to play," Nadal said the French Open — the title at both Monte Carlo der Zverev 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 during a World Group Quarter final Davis
on Wednesday. "I don't see 16-time Grand Slam cham- and Roland Garros, which Cup tennis match between Spain and Germany at the bullring
myself missing Monte Carlo pion accepts he may think begins on May 27. in Valencia, Spain, Sunday April 8, 2018. Associated Press
on purpose. I don't see my- differently when he gets q