Monday, November 12, 2007 Nervous Nadal beats Gasquet in three sets
SHANGHAI—Second-ranked Rafael Nadal overcame self-doubts and a sluggish start to beat France’s Richard Gasquet, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, Sunday in the opening match of the season-ending Masters Cup.
Nadal looked uncharacteristically slow and subdued as eighth-ranked Gasquet fended off an early break point, then broke Nadal as he served at 3-4 in the first set of the Gold Group round-robin match. Nadal fell behind 0-40, won the next two points, then saw Gasquet send a stinging forehand winner down the line. The Frenchman finished off the set with a pair of service winners.
Even though both of his knees were taped, Nadal claimed he was feeling “perfect,” but said he was a little nervous at the start in the season-ending Masters Cup, which features the top eight men’s singles players and doubles pairs.
“Every match is very difficult because you play only against the best,” he said. “So I start the match with, well, little bit doubts. But later I play a little bit more aggressive. I finish much better than I start.”
Gasquet’s downfall began when he shanked an overhead into the net on game point while serving at 1-2 in the second set. Nadal rallied to break when Gasquet tried a drop shot that fell well wide, and Nadal was suddenly fired up, pumping his fists while tracking down the Frenchman’s array of groundstrokes, volleys and spins.
Gasquet’s serve, so strong in the first set, let him down, too. He got only 53 percent of his first serves in during the second set, and Nadal picked on Gasquet’s second serves, winning 10 of 13.
“It was important to serve well against Rafa,” said Gasquet. (AP)
