Can Rafael Nadal be stopped? Apparently, not by his countrymen. Nadal, aka “The Prodigy”, had a tough time Saturday in the semifinals at the Masters Series Rome but the Spaniard managed to pull through 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 over countryman David Ferrer. The victory for Nadal ups his win streak to 16 matches and 14 straight on clay against his fellow Armada amigos.
“Today I felt a little bit tired mentally and physically, but I was able to fight every ball still and I think that it is what made the difference today,” said Nadal. “David (Ferrer) played a great match, especially in the first two sets. He is playing unbelievable at the moment. As for me, I think that my game improved as the match went and I am happy I closed the mach playing my best tennis.”
In the final, Nadal gets 2004 French choker player Guillermo “El Fragile” Coria, who handed Andre Agassi his first loss as a 35-year-old with a 7-5, 7-6(0) win. Coria, perhaps best known for failing to close out the French Open title last year, won just for the second time against Agassi in seven tries.
“I am very happy about this win against Andre Agassi and be in the final here in Rome,” said Coria. “I played very well, I got a little worried at the end of the second set but I was able to return the situation and I played a great tie-break.”
The final now boasts the two French Open early favorites. Nadal and Coria have split their two prior meeting with Nadal winning in the final of Monte Carlo just last month in four sets, while Coria earned the early advantage with a 2003 win also at Monte Carlo.
Nadal, who turns 19 next month, is now 40-6 on the year and has reached the finals of his last three Masters Series events. He is also 6-0 in semifinals in 2005 and will seek his fifth title of the year on Sunday, sixth of his career.
“Tomorrow against Rafael Nadal, I know it will be difficult,” said Coria. “It will be different from Monte-Carlo, because I have played more matches and I am more into the competition. He also played a lot lately and I don’t know if he is a little tired or not, but he is so confident at the moment. He is the man to beat, and I hope I can end his winning streak tomorrow.”
In doubles play, third-seeded American stars Bob and Mike Bryan took care of second seeds Jonas Bjorkman and Max “The Original Beast” Mirnyi 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. In the final, they’ll meet No. 8 seeds Michael Llodra and Fabrice Santoro who knocked off (5) Mahesh Bhupathi and Todd Woodbridge 6-4, 6-4.
Henin to Meet Petrova in Berlin Final
Former world No.1 Justine Henin-Hardenne advanced to her third consecutive WTA final with a 6-0, 6-1 beat down of Patty Schnyder Saturday in Berlin. The win is Henin’s 16th straight which included recent back-to-back titles in Charleston and Warsaw.
In Sunday’s final, the Belgian will test Russian Nadia Petrova, a 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 winner over rising star Jelena Jankovic.
``It's wonderful how things have gone, but the way is very long,'' a happy Henin said. “I'm going to have to keep working very hard if I'm going to get back to the top of tennis as I was before. I've learned in life things go quick. One day you are great, the next day you're falling down.''
Head-to-head, Henin-Hardenne has a 5-1 edge over Petrova, but in their last meeting, the Russian upset Henin-Hardenne, 6-3, 6-2 at the US Open last year. Henin-Hardenne, who is seeking her third straight crown in Berlin, has won 21 career titles while Petrova will try for her very first on Sunday.
For you doubles fans, No. 3 seeds Elena Likhovsetva and Vera “Warren” Zvonareva will face No. 2 seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber in the final.
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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Both Rafael Nadal and Justine Henin-Hardenne enter their respective Sunday finals riding 16 match wins streaks. That’s where the similarities end…Think Andy Roddick has the karma in Rome? Last year he plays hero during a hotel blaze and this year he all but locks up the 2005 sportsmanship award for overturning a call that would have given him a third round win over Fernando Verdasco. Indeed, he’s just a nice dude…Justine Henin-Hardenne has won 19 of 20 matches since returning to the tour. Think anyone could take six months off due to illness and return to pull that record on the ATP circuit?...Speaking of comparing the two circuits, with a loss Sunday Nadia Petrova will still return to the Top 10. Can you name an ATP player that’s reached the Top 10 without winning a title? We’ll have an answer tomorrow…A win tomorrow puts Justine Henin-Hardenne in the 2005 titles lead on the WTA with three…How amazing is Andre Agassi. Dude is 35 and he’s hanging if not beating the best of the best on the ATP. Unreal…Win a title Sunday, Rafael Nadal would move within 10 points of Roger Federer in the 2005 ATP Race…The last teenager on the ATP to win five titles in a season was Andre Agassi, who won just that many in 1988. Mats Wilander won nine as a teen in 1983. Wow…What are the odds that doubles specialist Andrew Florent will get fellow party-mate Mark Philippoussis into tip-top shape for Wimbledon? Scud of course turned down a French Open wildcard on Friday citing the need to concentrate on Wimbledon. Whatever you say Mr. 183 in the world…Anastasia Myskina remains a mystery for the French Open. Her bad shoulder has spurred talk that she may pull, or just scream a lot more. That would be a shocker considering she is the defending champ. Injury or not, you got to at least try to defend your title…In Hamburg next week, Roger Federer got a stocking of coal as his punishment for skipping Rome. The Swiss No. 1 drew Roddick-beater Fernando Verdasco in the first round, to play perhaps David Ferrer in the second, Tommy Robredo in the third and Coria in the quarters. Andy Roddick fared a bit better early on drawing Nicolas Massu and then Nadal in the quarters. Andre Agassi got another hand-picked cake early round draw with Feliciano Lopez in the first with Sebastien Grosjean, Nicolas Kiefer and, dare we say, Marat Safin as the only real obstacles preventing him from another semifinal. Of course Agassi should also be on the lookout for a Tennis-X staffer who will be hunting the former No.1 down on-site Tuesday...You want Challenger ball, you got Challenger ball. James Blake defeated fellow American Brian Baker to win the Tunica title, while in Ostrava it’s a battle of household names in the Sunday final with Lukas Dhlouy and Nicolas Devilder locking horns. Check your Tennis Channel listings for that one…A decision from the ATP is expected early in the week regarding which site – Chicago or New Haven – will replace Long Island the week before the calendar. The Tennis-X offer to run an event was snuffed out early on by ATP officials. We’ll be back…Along with client Rafael Nadal, Nike has been flexing its muscles this week in Rome. The manufacturer has placed extra large six-inch logos on Nadal’s clothing likely knowing that they are in violation of ATP policy which mandates a maximum of four-inch logos. Adidas has long been pushing the envelope with its illegal and rather length three strips logo which appears on sleeves, shorts, socks and even headbands at times…In case ya didn’t know, May is national “Tennis Month” in the U.S. As part of the celebration, Monica Seles and NBA star Richard Jefferson hosted a tennis clinic for children Saturday morning at the US Open site in flushing…Damir Dokic told the Australian Press that Patrick Rafter and Tony Roche helped his daughter achieve early success saying that "There were many times when she practiced with Mr Pat Rafter, together with Mr Tony. She used to practice for hours every day. But now she doesn't practice enough." Mr. Damir, why not call Mr. Pat up. I’m sure he’d love to hang out with you and your daughter again. Okay, maybe not. That conversation would start and end with “Sorry mate.”…Want the Rabat, you got it. In the WTA Rabat final it’s (6) Jie Zheng and (2) Nuria Llagostera Vives. Anyone have that one in the pool? We didn’t.
Nadal Wins 16th Straight, Will Face Coria in Rome Final