Cincinnati Open: Nadal downs Federer as Djokovic, Murray crash out

Serena, Azarenka book places in women’s singles semis.

CINCINNATI:

World number one Novak Djokovic and number two Andy Murray crashed out of the Western and Southern Open within an hour of each other, before Rafa Nadal restored order with a win over old rival Roger Federer.

With the sprawling Lindner Family Tennis Center still buzzing over John Isner’s 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 7-5 quarter-final upset of Djokovic, another bombshell dropped on the nearby grandstand court as Tomas Berdych swept past US Open champion Murray 6-3 6-4, creating shockwaves that will carry through to Flushing Meadows.

The upsets of two of the grand slam’s biggest favourites have thrown the tournament wide open and added new contenders to the usual suspects.

But world number three Nadal underlined his claims by taming Swiss arch-rival and five times Cincinnati champion Federer 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

While the rankings say otherwise, there has been little better tennis seen on centre court this week, and the pair proved they are still capable of bringing out the best in each other.

Nadal arrived in Cincinnati after sealing the Montreal title and seemingly at the top of his hard-court game, but it was Federer, struggling with a sore back and searching for form, who produced the more inspired display in the opening set.

“Could have won tonight, should have won tonight,” said Federer, who will drop to world number seven next week, his lowest ranking in nearly 11 years.

“But at the end, I think Rafa’s confidence and the way he’s playing at the moment got him through.”

In another quarter-final, Juan Martin Del Potro continued to sharpen his hard-court game before heading to Flushing Meadows, beating Russian Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

Serena storms into last-four

World number one Serena Williams was at her lethal best as she crushed Romanian Simona Halep 6-0 6-4 to romp into the semi-finals of the Western and Southern Open on Friday.

The 31-year-old American was later joined in the final four by Belarusian world number two Victoria Azarenka, who booked her spot with a testing 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) win over 10th seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki.

“I definitely haven’t felt good all week, so surprised I’m still in the event, to be honest,” said Williams. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2013.

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