Rafael Nadal washes out Santiago Giraldo in quarterfinal – Rakuten Open 2011
Rafael Nadal, world No.2, outplayed Columbian world No.53, Santiago Giraldo in a hard hitting quarterfinal match of the Rakuten Open 2011. With the Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan Hard court cleaned up, the two took off battling
out for the semis seat. The higher ranked Spaniard proved greater as he blistered away winning 7-6(6), 6-3 in a long almost two hours match.
Playing head-to-head for the fourth time, the former world No.1, took control early on in the first set though Giraldo gave it his best to fight back. With pressure building up in the second set Giraldo could not stand tall as
the Spaniard rushed away with set 2 and into the semis.
Moving on with the match, Giraldo won the toss and served first for the opener rolling down the scoreboard winning, 1-0. Serving back, Nadal levelled up instantly winning game 2 and switched the serve, 1-1.
Rallying out the next both won games on respective serves and won. Unable to break each other, the two levelled up at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and then on 5-5 and tied up the set in a tiebreaker. Serving first Giraldo gave away a point and
switched the serve with the world No.2 in the lead, 1-0.
Serving out the next two points, Nadal rushed to a 3-0 lead before the world No.53 levelled up winning the next three, 3-3. Changing the sides, the two started up again as both equally rallied out games and tied up at 6-6. Nadal,
winning the next two points, finalized the tiebreaker, 8-6, winning the set 7-6(6) and moved on with the next set.
With set two on its way, Nadal served out the first game and broke the world No.53 next to lead the set 2-0. Breaking back Giraldo pulled back a game, however, could not hold on next and went down losing the second in 4 games,
1-3. Serving out game 4 Nadal kept on extending his lead and continued pressuring the 23-year-old.
Giraldo did cut the lead, yet could not break back to level up the scores. With scores at 5-3, Nadal stood to serve for the final game of the match. With a close breakpoint save the Spaniard held his spot winning set 2 6-3 and
the match in straight sets to walk off into the semi-final of the ATP Tour 500 event.
Through with the quarter-final, the former world No.1 now moves into the semis of the Rakuten Open 2011 to play Mardy Fish, world No.6, for a spot in the final showdown.
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