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Rafael Nadal puts poor form in past to reach Madrid Open final Rafael Nadal puts poor form in past to reach Madrid Open final
(about 1 hour later)
Rafael Nadal is at his best when he is angry – not at himself, but the ball. He some times hits the thing as if he hates it, and he was not enamoured of the sphere here on Saturday, belting it beyond Roberto Bautista Agut's reach often enough to reach the Madrid Open final with a 6-4, 6-3 win that surely restored the "inside power" he admits was missing in his two rare defeats on the clay of Monte Carlo and Barcelona. Rafael Nadal is at his best when he is angry – not at himself, but at the ball. He some times hits the thing as if he hates it, and he was not enamoured of the sphere here on Saturday, belting it beyond Roberto Bautista Agut's reach often enough to reach the Madrid Open final with a 6-4, 6-3 win that surely restored the "inside power" he admits was missing in his two rare defeats on the clay of Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
A fortnight before he defends his French Open title, the Spaniard believes in himself again, buoyed by putting himself in place to win his fourth Madrid trophy in his 90th career final. Nadal said he took little notice of media comments that his recent dip in form meant his fabulous career might be entering its final phase ahead of his upcoming 28th birthday, especially after the back problems that hindered him in the final of the Australian Open. "You are at the top some times and then low down," he said, "and some times you are in the middle. One day I will be at the end. But not yet."A fortnight before he defends his French Open title, the Spaniard believes in himself again, buoyed by putting himself in place to win his fourth Madrid trophy in his 90th career final. Nadal said he took little notice of media comments that his recent dip in form meant his fabulous career might be entering its final phase ahead of his upcoming 28th birthday, especially after the back problems that hindered him in the final of the Australian Open. "You are at the top some times and then low down," he said, "and some times you are in the middle. One day I will be at the end. But not yet."
If he does not add to the titles he won in 2005, 2010 and last year, it will be the third shock of the spring.If he does not add to the titles he won in 2005, 2010 and last year, it will be the third shock of the spring.
As Nadal arranged his bottles of water and juice down to the millimetre along his required alignment, like a chess-master preparing his brain, it looked likely before the first semi-final that his perfectly competent opponent would not have a prayer.As Nadal arranged his bottles of water and juice down to the millimetre along his required alignment, like a chess-master preparing his brain, it looked likely before the first semi-final that his perfectly competent opponent would not have a prayer.
Bautista Agut, the most accurate server on Tour last year and in excellent form in 2014, thought otherwise and stretched his illustrious compatriot to the limit with plenty of artful tennis, short, long, angled and hard-hit.Bautista Agut, the most accurate server on Tour last year and in excellent form in 2014, thought otherwise and stretched his illustrious compatriot to the limit with plenty of artful tennis, short, long, angled and hard-hit.
However, with the Spanish sun on his back and the red clay beneath his feat, Nadal flared his nostrils and did his job. After a competitive first set, he killed Bautista Agut's second serve and won in an hour and 42 minutes. He was never allowed to relax but had some gas to spare, finishing it with a clattering forehand.However, with the Spanish sun on his back and the red clay beneath his feat, Nadal flared his nostrils and did his job. After a competitive first set, he killed Bautista Agut's second serve and won in an hour and 42 minutes. He was never allowed to relax but had some gas to spare, finishing it with a clattering forehand.
Nadal will face Kei Nishikori in Sunday's final after the Japanese 10th seed survived a second-set fightback by the fifth-seeded David Ferrer to win 7-6, 5-7, 6-3.
Maria Sharapova will be so relieved that Serena Williams is in Italy when she walks on to Manola Santana Court on Sunday afternoon in pursuit of her first Madrid title. However, while the world No1 is rehabbing her strained left thigh in preparation for the Rome Masters, Sharapova will have plenty of work to do getting past the ever-improving Simona Halep, a player whose self-deprecation disguises a fine talent.Maria Sharapova will be so relieved that Serena Williams is in Italy when she walks on to Manola Santana Court on Sunday afternoon in pursuit of her first Madrid title. However, while the world No1 is rehabbing her strained left thigh in preparation for the Rome Masters, Sharapova will have plenty of work to do getting past the ever-improving Simona Halep, a player whose self-deprecation disguises a fine talent.
The tournament was assured a first-time women's champion when 22-year-old Halep did a comprehensive number on the 2011 winner, Petra Kvitova, in the third set of the first semi-final to win 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 after a little over two-and-a-half hours. The tournament was assured a first-time women's champion when 22-year-old Halep did a comprehensive number on the 2011 winner, Petra Kvitova, in the third set of the first semi-final to win 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 after a little over two-and-a-half hours. Halep, seeded fourth, is the first Romanian finalist here. She has an excellent all-round game with no glaring weaknesses and will give Sharapova all the trouble she can handle, despite her natural reticence.
Halep, seeded fourth, is the first Romanian finalist here and will go into the match knowing she is worth her place. She has an excellent all-round game with no glaring weaknesses and will give Sharapova all the trouble she can handle, despite her natural reticence.
"I expect a very tough match," Halep said, "but I'm very excited to be in the final. I hope I can control my emotions and play my best tennis. I didn't expect to be there – and I still think a grand slam would be too much for me.""I expect a very tough match," Halep said, "but I'm very excited to be in the final. I hope I can control my emotions and play my best tennis. I didn't expect to be there – and I still think a grand slam would be too much for me."
Sharapova, who has just turned 27 – in tandem with passing $27million in career earnings – is a four-slam winner with no such self-doubt. Williams, her eternal tormentor, is the only player to interrupt her run of wins in 45 matches on clay, so she will start a natural favourite against Halep. Sharapova, who has just turned 27 – in tandem with passing $27m in career earnings – is a four-slam winner with no such self-doubt. Williams, her eternal tormentor, is the only player to interrupt her run of wins in 45 matches on clay, so she will start a natural favourite against Halep.
However, she looked as relieved as she did pleased when Agnieszka Radwanska shoved her concluding backhand into the lower part of the net in the second semi-final, handing the Russian a 6-1, 6-4 win that was closer than the numbers suggest. The Pole was just not there in the first set but upped her level appreciably to come back from 0-3 down in the second and Sharapova had to find an extra gear to seal it.However, she looked as relieved as she did pleased when Agnieszka Radwanska shoved her concluding backhand into the lower part of the net in the second semi-final, handing the Russian a 6-1, 6-4 win that was closer than the numbers suggest. The Pole was just not there in the first set but upped her level appreciably to come back from 0-3 down in the second and Sharapova had to find an extra gear to seal it.
"We haven't played in a really long time," Sharapova said of Halep, "but she's been playing really well – not just this tournament, but for the last year.""We haven't played in a really long time," Sharapova said of Halep, "but she's been playing really well – not just this tournament, but for the last year."
Sharapova's clay form has been outstanding in recent years and her first title of the year arrived in Stuttgart two weeks ago. "I really challenge myself to improve on clay courts because that was never my favourite surface in the beginning of my career," she said. "I've done a really good job of transitioning from the hard to the clay and improving physically and recovering well from match to match."Sharapova's clay form has been outstanding in recent years and her first title of the year arrived in Stuttgart two weeks ago. "I really challenge myself to improve on clay courts because that was never my favourite surface in the beginning of my career," she said. "I've done a really good job of transitioning from the hard to the clay and improving physically and recovering well from match to match."