Rafael Nadal dismisses Gael Monfils in straight sets at the 2011 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
Current World Number 1 Rafael Nadal scored an easy victory over Gael Monfils of France, defeating his quarterfinal opponent in straight sets at the 2011 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. The match was barely a challenge for the top
player, who took just a little over one hour and fifteen minutes to make it to the semi-finals. The final score-line was 6-2, 6-2.
The Spanish tennis player began the match quite well, scoring no aces and committing no double fault in the first set. He remained unbroken, and won an impressive 80 per cent of his total first serve points. Monfils, on the other
hand, played quite mediocre tennis. Despite the fact that he was able to hit 81 per cent of his first serves, he could only win 50 per cent of those points. Rafael Nadal managed to convert two of four break points against his opponent, setting up a 6-2 score-line
by the end of the match.
The second set was an even easier one for Rafa, who committed just one double fault and managed one ace in this set. Monfils improved his points won rate to 60 per cent, but was broken twice nonetheless. He could not set up any
break point opportunities against Nadal. The seventh seed could not challenge Nadal during the match, and the World Number 1 managed to win 59 per cent of the points in the second set to close the second set 6-2. The final score-line for the match was 6-2,
6-2 to Nadal.
Nadal seemed elated by the win, but kept his feet on the ground, saying, “This is super positive ... but there's still much to achieve.” The player recently won his seventh consecutive title at the Monte Carlo Masters, and is the
favourite to win this ATP World Tour 500 series event. If he takes the trophy, it will be the sixth time that he manages to do so.
Rafael Nadal will be taking on Croatian World Number 56 Ivan Dodig in the semi-finals of the 2011 clay tournament.
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