The door to the “Rafa Slam” has been officially closed. In a disappointing end to Nadal’s quest for his fourth consecutive major, the Spaniard apparently “injured his left hamstring’ in the second game of his quarterfinal against David Ferrer and went down 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.
After taking a medical timeout on the changeover down 2-1, Nadal returned to the court with his left thigh bandaged and had a hard time sprinting side to side or getting a good push off his leg. While he may have been able to take out a less fleet or less accomplished foe in a similar condition, it was an impossible task against his friend and Davis Cup teammate Ferrer, who is nearly as fast and is relentless from inside the baseline.
Ferrer hadn’t beaten Nadal in their last seven meetings, but despite being visible concerned about his friend’s health, he flew about the court, crushing forehands, ripping two-handed backhands and whenever he could, moving forward.
“I didn’t change my plan,” Ferrer said. “I was just focused in my game because I was playing a good game. Always with Rafa I need to play very aggressive, because he’s a very good player. He defends unbelievable. For to beat him, just I need to play very aggressive and maybe I lucky like today.”
No.1 Nadal made a strident effort in the first set to get a toehold in the match by fighting off two set points with forehand volleys, but on Ferrer’s third set point he was wild with a forehand and handed the 28-year-old the set.
After that, Ferrer seized control, as when Nadal wasn’t immediately dictating, Ferrer would seize control of the center of the court, and a hobbled Nadal was unable to show off his usually defence. There were a few occasions when Ferrer looked over at Nadal thinking he might retire, but his Davis Cup teammate had no intention of taking anything more away from his victory.
Ferrer, who won the title in Auckland to open the year, has now won nine consecutive matches and finished the contest with 44 winners (17 off his vaunted forehand side) and 32 unforced errors.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Ferrer, who played an ATP-most 84 matches last year. “In 2011 I won all the matches. I’m very happy for that, no? I’m very happy with my game. I’m with very confidence. So I want to enjoy this moment, no, because is not easy.”
Nadal, who had won 25 consecutive matches at the Grand Slams (including the last three major titles) finished with only 19 winners and 34 unforced errors and only won 44 percent of his service points. While the left-hander was able to serve hard at times, he was inaccurate and tossed a number of soft serves up the middle that Ferrer was able to pounce on.
Nadal didn’t want to discuss the injury after the match, preferring to give credit to Ferrer. But he acknowledged that he couldn’t run the way he normally does after the injury timeout.
“I think he played at a very high level,” Nadal said. I just congratulate him and wish him all the best for the semifinal. I don’t have to tell you about what I felt on the court because I tried my best all the time. But is obvious that I didn’t feel at my best….Seems like I always have problems when I lose, and I don’t want to have this image”
Nadal, who won the Australian title in 2009, was also forced to retire in the 2010 quarterfinals against Andy Murray with a knee injury. It was his worse loss at a major since he fell to Juan Martin Del Potro 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals of the 2009 US Open.
But Ferrer thinks he’ll have a chance to go around the block again.
“I think he can to win the next four Grand Slams,” he said. “Rafael is the best three players of the history of tennis. He is a young player. He will can do it.”
Interestingly, the last time that Ferrer reached a Grand Slam semifinal was at 2007 US Open when he bested Nadal in the round of 16.
Nonetheless, the former top five player and seventh seed had a fine 2001, qualifying for the year-end ATP World finals and winning two titles.
He’ll face fifth seed and 2010 finalist Andy Murray in the semifinals, whom he owns a 3-2 record against. However, all those victories came on clay and Murray crushed him in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in December.
“Andy’s different player like Rafa,” he said. “But I need to play very, very focused, to receive really good because Andy, he has a very good first serve. It’s very important for me return very good in the match. Andy, Roger and Rafael, they are very improving every year the game of them.”
