Sports

Nadal Crushed Fernando Gonzalez

by harringtola | January 26, 2009 at 07:26 am

176 views | 14 Recommendations | 4 comments

RAFAEL Nadal maintained his perfect record as he swept past Fernando Gonzalez today and into the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Rafeal Nadal, has beat one of his major rivals again. The Australian Open continues as the intensity increases.

The Spaniard was stunning again at Melbourne Park yesterday, crushing 2007 Australian Open runner-up Fernando Gonzalez 6-3 6-2 6-4 in an ominous warning to the other top contenders left in the tournament.

This has been a tennis event with all the emotion and spectator involvement of a soccer match.

RAFAEL Nadal's air of invincibility remains intact as the first cracks appear in the repertoires of his main rivals for the Australian crown.

Nadal is never complacent or over confident. He continues to evaluate his game.

"I think I played well," Nadal said. "It was very solid match from the baseline. I'm playing very good forehands and backhands. I am improving when the tournament is coming all the time.

"Maybe, the only thing today I can improve a little bit more is the serve. I'm not a 100 per cent happy with my serve. It wasn't very bad, but I think I was serving better in the last matches."

The Spaniard is yet to drop a set in Melbourne, losing just 28 games in 12 sets of tennis in four rounds, and said his form was stronger than last year when he reached the semi-finals for the first time.

With all the reflection his current strategy was obviously effective.

............whenever Gonzalez served at a key moment in the match, Nadal rendered his usually reliable delivery hopeless, rarely allowing him a point.

The final numbers show that Nadal was indeed on his game. Rivals to come in the pending matches of this contest, BeWare.

NEXT: Wednesday early a.m. EST:

Not before 3:30 a.m. EST Wednesday

Rafael Nadal (1), Spain, vs. Gilles Simon (6), France

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Uwe Paschen

at 07:41 on January 26th, 2009

Good for him.

altrugon

at 08:51 on January 26th, 2009

Aupa Nadal!!!

erichews

at 06:31 on January 27th, 2009

I don't see anyone beating this guy, now. Federer is not in top form, and Roddick just doesn't have the shots. I'll be VERY surprised if Rafa doesn't claim the crown this year. I'll be watching... late at night.