World tennis No. 1 Rafael Nadal was due to square off against Swiss rival Roger Federer in a rare semi-final showdown yesterday that would be their first match on US soil in six years.
Spain’s Nadal reached the last four at the US$9 million WTA and ATP Masters tournament on Thursday by beating Czech Tomas Berdych 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Third seed Federer barely broke a sweat as his quarter-final match was called off after just 10 minutes when Gilles Simon couldn’t continue because of a neck injury.
Photo: AFP
The last time Nadal and Federer faced each other in the US was the 2005 Miami championship game in which Federer rallied from two sets down to beat Nadal 2-6, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-1 for the title.
“For me, it’s like [a] really special thing when we play each other because we play always really important matches,” Nadal said. “Tomorrow is a semi-final. Very few times we played in semi-finals of one tournament.”
“The rest of the matches are finals and important for big titles. That makes the rivalry very, very special,” he said.
The two have met 20 times since their previous meeting in Miami with Nadal winning 13 of those, including a dozen finals. In their 22 career meetings, just three have been in the semis of a tournament.
The two women’s finalists were confirmed on Thursday. Eighth seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus beat Russian third seed Vera Zvonareva 6-0, 6-3 in a night match to reach the final.
Azarenka next faces former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova who rallied for a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory over German Andrea Petkovic in the other semi-final.
Nadal clinched victory over the Czech Berdych by winning the final eight points, shook hands at the net and celebrated by throwing his orange wrist bands into the crowd.
The Spaniard, who was bothered by a nerve problem in his right arm for part of the match, blasted eight aces and hammered 32 winners. Berdych fired 11 aces but made 30 unforced errors in the two hour, 17 minute match on center court.
In his short spell on court Federer won three games before Simon retired with a stiff neck and was booed off the court.
The Frenchman, who talked with a trainer during a changeover before conceding the match and shaking hands with Federer, said he understood the fans’ frustration.
“The public pays the ticket to see the players,” Simon said. “It’s tough for them to see Roger only 10 minutes but of course the saddest on the court is me for sure.”
Sharapova overcame her slow start by winning 11 straight games en route to a three set win.
In today’s final, Sharapova will be seeking her first title since last May, and her first in Miami.
“It would mean a lot,” she said. “It’s the biggest tournament I think after the Grand Slams. I look forward to going out there and getting it done.”
Azarenka hit one ace and won 72 percent of her first serve points in her 76 minute match on Thursday.
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