Rafael Nadal dumps Mardy Fish to cruise into the semi-final – Wimbledon Championships 2011
World number one, Spaniard Rafael Nadal battled past world number nine, American Mardy Fish in a four set thriller in men’s singles of the Wimbledon Championships 2011, a Grand Slam event held in London, United Kingdom. He lost
the third set but dominated throughout the match to register a 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory to advance into the last four on Wednesday.
Top seeded Nadal continued displaying top notch performance to triumph over the American at SW-19 on their sixth meeting. After earning this success, the Spaniard maintained his winning record against Fish and extended the lead
in their head-to-head series by 6-0.
The left handed Spaniard raged into the opening set and got the craving break in the very first game. Later he kept his remaining serves and then extended the lead by breaking Fish’s serve again in the seventh game to make the
score line 5-2. Although Nadal lost his serve in the proceeding game but quickly broke back in the last game to bag the opener with a 6-3 score line in thirty-six minutes.
After the American held his opening serve in the second game, Nadal stroke out next three games. The single break of serve he converted to his advantage in the fourth game led him clinched the set with a 6-3 score line again in
thirty-seven minutes. Regardless of committing more unforced errors, the Spaniard hammered nineteen winners to dominate the set.
29-year-old American, a semi-finalist at Memphis, Delray Beach and Miami, re-spirited the match by refocusing in the third set. He lost his serve in the very first game but roared back to snatch the break back in the proceeding
game. Fish then steamed up to retain his remaining serves comfortably and converted another breakpoint opportunity to his advantage in the twelfth game to seal the deal by winning seven games to five in fifty-two minutes.
The Mallorca native outshined the American again in the final set. After Fish held his serve in the first game, he unleashed classy groundstrokes to reel off next three games in a row. Nadal later held on to his remaining serves
to win the set with a 6-4 score line in forty-eight minutes.
Up next for the Spaniard is the Brit Andy Murray whom he beat in the same stage at this tournament last year. "But it was a very close match, even if it was straight sets," reasoned Nadal. "He had a set point on his serve in the
second set. So the match will be very difficult. I have to enjoy the moment, and play aggressively. That's the only way I'll have any chance of making the final."
Murray has the full support of the crowd and is in great form as well. It would be a worthwhile duel to watch.
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