Rafael Nadal’s Loss, Their Gain: What This Means for the Rest of the Big Four

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: January 26, 2011

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A Spaniard made it through to the semifinals today.

But not quite the one we were expecting.

Rafael Nadal has lost his battle against countryman David Ferrer and against his recalcitrant body. A hamstring injury has ended what would have been a fairytale for Nadal and the sport of tennis, it has ended his opportunity to hold all four Grand Slams simultaneously.

There were no signs at the start; Nadal looked fresh, if not a little bit jaded from his previous illness in his opening game against David Ferrer. Then Nadal had a lengthy seventeen minute game with Ferrer while serving, and it was here that the injury would seem to have been sustained.

After plenty of lengthy rallies, Nadal seemed to slow down, and after saving two break points, finally succumbed to Ferrer and he immediately asked the umpire for an injury timeout.

Ferrer then held serve while Nadal was hurried off the court into the treatment room.

You could have heard a pin drop in the packed, and previously raucous, Rod Laver Arena.

The stadium, like the rest of the tennis community, was shocked and anxious. Would this be the end of Nadal’s campaign for the "Rafa Slam?"

When Nadal got back on court, he grimaced in pain and had several terse discussions with Uncle Toni, his body language recognisably glum.

And in a tight 70 minutes, the first set was over and Nadal was ushered into the treatment room once again.

For the rest of the match, Nadal was no longer in the match. Winners were far and few, and Ferrer took advantage of the opportunity to enter just his second semifinal of a Grand Slam.

And after an hour and 20 minutes, Ferrer brought up three match points. A big serve and short ball from Nadal elicited a huge forehand from David Ferrer, left Nadal looking at the ball just zoom past him wistfully.

It was over.

The "Rafa Slam" was over.

Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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