Tsonga, Nalbandian win
November 02, 2008 00:00:00
PARIS, Nov 01 (AP): Injuries got the better of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the Paris Masters quarterfinals Friday, reports BBC.
David Nalbandian and French hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won to also keep up their chances of reaching the Masters Cup.
Nadal retired with a knee injury after losing the first set 6-1 against sixth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, just hours after Federer pulled out against 11th-seeded James Blake with a sore back.
The eighth-seeded Nalbandian ended the 14-match winning streak of fourth-seeded Andy Murray 7-6 (3), 6-3, and Tsonga, the lowest surviving seed at 13th, thrilled the home crowd at Bercy Arena by outserving American Andy Roddick 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
"I definitely had more than enough chances tonight, so this one will probably stick with me," Roddick said. "Credit to him, he came up with probably six or seven volleys that were pretty tough on break points."
"I think it's about the best moment in my life on a court," said Tsonga, who lost the Australian Open final to Novak Djokovic.
Tsonga felt Roddick was slacking at times.
"Sometimes he was giving up on a point where I thought he could have gone and get it," Tsonga said.
Nadal received a lengthy massage on his right thigh at 4-1 down to try and loosen the muscles around his right knee but was unable to start the second set.
"When I push with the right leg all the time the knee wasn't there, the knee is going down," Nadal said. "I felt a sharp, acute pain."