Rafael Nadal joins Queen’s scrapheap
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has joined defending champion Andy Murray, four-time winner Andy Roddick, second seed Novak Djokovic and Marin Cilic on the scrapheap at the Aegon Championships.
The Spaniard lasted just one more round than the other four of the top five seeds, losing to compatriot Feliciano Lopez in the quarterfinals at the Queen’s Club.
Lopez took two match points to seal the 7-6(5), 6-4 victory, but when Nadal sent a backhand into the net, victory was his.
Lopez broke Nadal’s serve three times in the match, including the all-important break in the ninth game of the second set, which allowed him to serve for the match. In contrast, French Open champion Nadal could only convert two of his break point chances (neither in the second set) against the 28-year-old, who sent down 10 aces for the match.
The victory is only the world No. 31’s second against Nadal in seven matches, and his first since the two Spaniards first faced off on opposite sides of the net in the round of 32 at Basel in 2003.
It may also be a timely warning ahead of Wimbledon that the two-time quarter-finalist (in 2005 and 2008) could be about to take the next step at the grass court major this year.
“I think it’s definitely one of my best matches on grass...I’m so happy,” Lopez said after defeating the French Open champion, as he turned his attention to the semi-finals (where either Michael Llodra or Mardy Fish will await) and a possible title in London.
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