Murray advances, Nadal pulls out with knee injury
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan 26 (AP): Andy Murray advanced to the Australian Open semifinals when Rafael Nadal retired from their quarterfinal with a knee injury Tuesday.
In a match which more resembled a tournament final or semifinal due to the high caliber of the players, Murray led 6-3, 7-6 (2), 3-0 when Nadal went to the net to shake Murray's hand.
Murray will face Marin Cilic in the semifinals. The Croatian player beat No. 7 Andy Roddick 7-6 (4), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3 earlier Tuesday.
Roddick struggled through a right shoulder injury in the match that impaired his movement, but he expects no long-term damage.
Nadal, who struggled with knee tendinitis and was unable to defend his Wimbledon title last season after beating Roger Federer in the Australian Open final, received on-court treatment from a trainer for a right knee ailment after losing the second set.
Still in the equation at Melbourne Park is three-time champion Roger Federer, who plays Nikolay Davydenko in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Novak Djokovic, the 2008 champion, takes on the same year's runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the other quarterfinal.
Roddick had not come back from two sets down in a major since his semifinal win over David Nalbandian at the 2003 U.S. Open.
Seven-time Grand Slam singles winner Justine Henin hasn't won a major in two years-because she hasn't played in one. Henin, who returned from 20 months in retirement, advanced to the semifinals by beating Nadia Petrova 7-6 (3), 7-5 to take out the last seeded player in her half of the draw.
In a match which more resembled a tournament final or semifinal due to the high caliber of the players, Murray led 6-3, 7-6 (2), 3-0 when Nadal went to the net to shake Murray's hand.
Murray will face Marin Cilic in the semifinals. The Croatian player beat No. 7 Andy Roddick 7-6 (4), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3 earlier Tuesday.
Roddick struggled through a right shoulder injury in the match that impaired his movement, but he expects no long-term damage.
Nadal, who struggled with knee tendinitis and was unable to defend his Wimbledon title last season after beating Roger Federer in the Australian Open final, received on-court treatment from a trainer for a right knee ailment after losing the second set.
Still in the equation at Melbourne Park is three-time champion Roger Federer, who plays Nikolay Davydenko in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Novak Djokovic, the 2008 champion, takes on the same year's runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the other quarterfinal.
Roddick had not come back from two sets down in a major since his semifinal win over David Nalbandian at the 2003 U.S. Open.
Seven-time Grand Slam singles winner Justine Henin hasn't won a major in two years-because she hasn't played in one. Henin, who returned from 20 months in retirement, advanced to the semifinals by beating Nadia Petrova 7-6 (3), 7-5 to take out the last seeded player in her half of the draw.