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A18 SPORTS
Saturday 12 May 2018

Nadal loses to Thiem in Madrid, 1st loss on clay in 1 year

MADRID (AP) — Rafael
Nadal has found a worthy
rival on clay.
Dominic Thiem beat the
top-ranked Nadal 7-5, 6-3
in the Madrid Open quar-
terfinals on Friday, breaking
the defending champion’s
run of 21 straight wins on
clay courts.
Nadal hadn’t lost a single
set on clay since falling to
Thiem a year ago in the Ital-
ian Open quarterfinals.
But Thiem succeeded in
doing the nearly impossible
with his deep drives: Make
Nadal look sluggish and a
step slow on clay.
Nadal will lose his world No.
1 ranking to Roger Federer
because of the defeat.
“Of course I am disappoint-
ed,” Nadal said.
“I tried to fight back but I
wasn’t good enough and
he was better. Dominic has
a lot of potential. Whenev-
er he plays really well, it is
difficult to stop him.”
Since last year’s loss to
Thiem, Nadal had been im- Dominic Thiem from Austria celebrates his victory over Rafael Nadal from Spain during a Madrid Open tennis tournament match in
peccable on his preferred Madrid, Spain, Friday, May 11, 2018. Thiem won 7-5, 6-3.
surface. He won the French Associated Press
Open and the hard-court Austrian was returning after things to do to beat Rafa when he broke Thiem back would have no chance,”
U.S. Open to take his Grand being sidelined for a month on clay,” Thiem said. for 5-5, but the Austrian Thiem said.
Slam haul to 16, and he due to a broken foot. “It’s so special, amazing, in took the advantage right “I had to go for shots and
came to the Spanish capi- Thiem was in stellar form at his home country and in his back after Nadal sent a go down the line and ev-
tal fresh off winning his 11th Madrid’s Caja Magica. He living room in Madrid. It was forehand into the net. erything worked today.
titles at both Monte Carlo got the better of long rallies an amazing match.” Thiem then struck an ace to To beat Rafa on clay you
and Barcelona. by hitting precise winners, Thiem will face sixth-seeded complete the set. have to have a special
Nadal, however, said the and avoided the costly er- Kevin Anderson in the semi- His shirt drenched in sweat, day.”
loss was not a reason to rors that sunk Nadal’s title finals after he hit 15 aces to Nadal looked stunned in Second-seeded Alexander
doubt his chances to add defense. down Dusan Lajovic 7-6 (3), the second set when he Zverev beat seventh-seed-
to his 10 French Open titles “He always had position to 3-6, 6-3. sent four serves in a row ed John Isner 6-4, 7-5 to
in the coming weeks. move around and to play a Nadal said on Thursday, into the net for back-to- also advance.
“I won 50 straight sets on good shot, to strike the ball after breaking John McEn- back double faults before Zverev will face Denis
this surface,” he said. in a comfortable position,” roe’s 1984 record for sets he ceded another break to Shapovalov after he out-
“Today I lost the match. It Nadal said. won on the same surface go down 2-1. lasted Kyle Edmund 7-5, 6-7
was not my day. But that is “It’s difficult to harm a play- by winning his 50th straight Nadal pulled back a break, (6), 6-4.
part of the sport. So I can’t er like him because he is set on clay, that he ex- but couldn’t defend his On the women’s side, two-
go back to my hotel and very powerful, he strikes the pected the match against serve and Thiem broke him time former Madrid cham-
think that I have to do a lot ball very hard.” Thiem to be “key to this twice more, finishing off the pion Petra Kvitova beat
of things different to pre- The fifth-seeded Thiem tournament.” world No. 1 with one final Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (4),
pare for the next events avenged his loss to Nadal He was right to be worried. forehand winner. 6-3, in an all-Czech semifi-
because that wouldn’t be here in last year’s final, and Thiem unsettled Nadal from “If you want to beat him, nal.
smart.” earned his third career vic- the start, breaking his serve especially on clay, you Kvitova will meet Kiki
Nadal brushed aside Thiem tory in nine meetings with twice in the first set. have to do something spe- Bertens in the final after she
6-0, 6-2 just three weeks ago Nadal, all on clay. Nadal appeared to have cial. beat seventh-seeded Car-
at Monte Carlo, where the “It’s one of the toughest salvaged the opening set If I had played normal I oline Garcia 6-2, 6-2.q