SPORTS

Nadal beats Puerta to enter semis

August 13, 2005 19:58 IST

Top seed Rafael Nadal won a re-match of the French Open final 6-3, 6-1 against Argentine Mariano Puerta in the Montreal Masters quarter-finals in Montreal, on Friday.

The world number two, winner at Roland Garros in June, beat Puerta in 72 minutes to set up a semi-final with France's Paul-Henri Mathieu.

The Frenchman, who upset holder Andy Roddick in the first round, defeated Karol Beck 6-1, 6-2. The Slovak had upset number five seed Nikolay Davydenko and number nine David Nalbandian this week.

Nadal, winner of eight titles on clay in 2005, is moving closer to a possible dream final on Sunday against three-time winner Andre Agassi.

"I hope we will play, I would love play against Andre in the final here," said Nadal, who has not lost serve in 42 games this week. "But every match is very difficult.

"I have a very tough semi-final. Mathieu is playing unbelievable."

Agassi, the 35-year-old American fourth seed, was playing a quarter-final against sixth-seeded Argentine Gaston Gaudio, whom he has beaten three times in four meetings.

Nadal's victory against Puerta extended a win streak to 14 matches and left the Spaniard with a 63-8 record since January. Nadal also lifted his hardcourt record this season to 14-4.

The powerful top seed lost just three points on serve in the first set, breaking Puerta for 4-2 with a crisp passing shot down the line.

He secured a 2-1 lead from a break in the second set and was never challenged on the way to his third semi-final since Wimbledon.

"I feel good every day here, I've said so since I arrived," the Spaniard explained. "I have good feelings every day with the court, with the balls, with everything."

Mathieu avenged his defeat by Beck on grass at Queen's Club in London in June, reaching the first Masters Series semi-final of his career.

The Frenchman preyed on the fitness of his opponent. "I knew he had played two tough matches so I tried to make him move," said the world number 63. "At the end it was difficult because he was going for everything.

"I tried to put the ball in play and just keep him moving."

In the day's concluding quarter-final, Montreal-born Greg Rusedski was facing Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty.

 

Source: REUTERS
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