Nadal in command on clay in opener
Ferrer, Murray victorious at Monte Carlo Masters.
MONACO:
Rafael Nadal stormed past Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-2, 6-2 to begin the quest for an unprecedented seventh consecutive title at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Spain’s top-seeded king of clay, who lost his only match in the principality in 2003, spent just 69 minutes in putting out Nieminen, who dropped the first ten points of the one-way contest. Nadal took charge immediately against the 59th-ranked Nieminen, sweeping the first set in 32 minutes as he found his feet on his favourite surface.
Nadal, the only player to win an ATP title for six straight years, improved to an overwhelming 35-1 in the principality and has won 33 straight matches at the venue since his 2003 debut.
Meanwhile, fourth-seeded compatriot David Ferrer beat fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in a quick 6-2, 6-0 victory as he joined Nadal in the third round and Andy Murray of Britain beat Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-4.
Tommy Robredo knocked out sixth-seed Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 6-3 and number eight Gael Monfils defeated Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Travers 7-5, 6-2 while Richard Gasquet, the number 13, put out Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-1. The 16th-seeded Gilles Simon beat Albert Montanes 6-3, 6-4.
Gasquet’s win sends him into a meeting with Nadal, who owns the series 7-0 with a last meeting at the 2009 US Open first round.
“It was important to have a quick match, especially against Rafa,” said the Frenchman. “I have nothing to lose against him – like all other players – when Nadal plays on clay.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 14th, 2011.
Rafael Nadal stormed past Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-2, 6-2 to begin the quest for an unprecedented seventh consecutive title at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Spain’s top-seeded king of clay, who lost his only match in the principality in 2003, spent just 69 minutes in putting out Nieminen, who dropped the first ten points of the one-way contest. Nadal took charge immediately against the 59th-ranked Nieminen, sweeping the first set in 32 minutes as he found his feet on his favourite surface.
Nadal, the only player to win an ATP title for six straight years, improved to an overwhelming 35-1 in the principality and has won 33 straight matches at the venue since his 2003 debut.
Meanwhile, fourth-seeded compatriot David Ferrer beat fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in a quick 6-2, 6-0 victory as he joined Nadal in the third round and Andy Murray of Britain beat Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-4.
Tommy Robredo knocked out sixth-seed Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 6-3 and number eight Gael Monfils defeated Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Travers 7-5, 6-2 while Richard Gasquet, the number 13, put out Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-1. The 16th-seeded Gilles Simon beat Albert Montanes 6-3, 6-4.
Gasquet’s win sends him into a meeting with Nadal, who owns the series 7-0 with a last meeting at the 2009 US Open first round.
“It was important to have a quick match, especially against Rafa,” said the Frenchman. “I have nothing to lose against him – like all other players – when Nadal plays on clay.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 14th, 2011.