Nadal swept in Aussie quarters
After 17 losses, Berdych finally breaks through
MELBOURNE, Australia – Rafael Nadal’s lack of match fitness from nearly six months of inactivity finally caught up with the 14-time Grand Slam singles champion at the Australian Open on Monday.
Nadal was never much of a factor in his quarterfinal match against seventh-seeded Tomas Berdych, losing 6-2, 6-0, 7-6 (5) after failing to convert any of his four break-point chances.
The third-seeded Nadal said before the tournament began that his lack of fitness due to injuries and illness in the last half of 2014 made him unlikely to win more than a few rounds at Melbourne Park.
Nadal saved two match points in the 12th game of the final set, sending it to a tiebreaker. But Berdych raced out to a 5-2 lead in the decider and finally ended the match on his fourth match point when Nadal netted a return of serve.
“As I said when I got here, it is always tough to come back from injuries,” Nadal said. “I am feeling OK, but it was not my day. Quarterfinals here is not bad for me.”
Coming into the Australian Open, Nadal had played only eight matches since last June because of a right wrist injury and appendix surgery in November. He had also won 17 matches in a row against Berdych.
“I was ready for everything and I think that was the difference,” Berdych said. “I started pretty well, but when you’re playing Rafa you have to keep going to the last point.”
Berdych will play the winner between Andy Murray and local hope Nick Kyrgios.
Earlier on Rod Laver Arena, Maria Sharapova moved closer to another Australian title, defeating 20-year-old Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
Sharapova made all the big points look easy against Bouchard and advanced to a semifinal against Ekaterina Makarova, who earlier beat third-seeded Simona Halep 6-4, 6-0.
Sharapova, the 2008 Australian Open champion and a two-time finalist, has a 5-0 record against Makarova, including wins in the quarterfinals here in 2012 and 2013. In four of those losses, Makarova failed to win a set.
It will be Makarova’s second consecutive Grand Slam semifinal. She made her first major semi at last year’s U.S. Open, losing to Serena Williams.