Nadal Beats Blake in Key Biscayne Quarterfinals
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Friday 4th April, 2008 13 bothering her on Tuesday, and she called it through that match, which gave me a lot of quits against Jankovic after 58 minutes. confidence for the rest of the tournament." The loss ended an eight-match winning The Serb has since swept every set in the Nadal beats streak for the 10th-seeded Dementieva. past three matches. No. 4 Jankovic barely survived her open- Jankovic had never advanced beyond the ing match in the tournament. In the third third round in five previous appearances at set against Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden, Key Biscayne. She's Jankovic overcame a 5-1 deficit, then Blake in Key saved five match points in a tiebreaker "It was a scary feeling, you know, just thinking that I may be over Biscayne with this tour- nament," Jankovic said. "But I was really strong mentally seeking and was able to get her first quarterfinals tournament title this year, by Steven Wine Tomas Berdych, who beat and on KEY BISCAYNE, Florida (AP) - Rafael No. 31 Igor Andreev 6-4, Thursday she'll Nadal converted only four of 19 break-point 6-4. he'll play the winner face 19th-seed- chances yet still beat James Blake 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 of a late Wednesday match ed Vera in the quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open between No. 10-seeded Zvonareva, who beat on Wednesday. Tomas Berdych and No. 31 No. 13 Dinara Safina Jelena Jankovic advanced to the women's Igor Andreev. 7-5, 6-4. semifinals when Elena Dementieva retired Blake said he felt fine physi- Four-time Key with a back injury trailing 6-3, 3-1. cally in the afternoon heat and Biscayne champion Nadal's first service break came with a could have played three more Serena Williams will play No. 3 ferocious backhand passing shot for a 5-3 lead sets, but he blamed himself for Svetlana Kuznetsova in the other semi- in the second set. He broke three more times in allowing Nadal back into the final. the final set, including on the final point. match. When a demoralized Blake hit his last fore- "I played my game for a hand long, Nadal leaped and punched the air. while, and then I got a little Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after defeat- "Right now I am feeling like I am playing at indecisive," Blake said. "I was- ing James Blake 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 during a quarterfi- my best level," Nadal said. n't attacking as much. They nals match at the Sony Ericsson Open tennis Ranked No. 2, Nadal is seeking his first say the heat can affect your mind, tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla. Wednesday, tournament title this year and his first title at too. Maybe it got to my head." April 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Key Biscayne. On Friday he'll play 10th-seeded Dementieva said her back began Super 14 Rugby Forehand to Sharks leave their Wenger rues lack of penalty decision comfort zone, start forehead makes 5-week road trip against Liverpool in Champions Mikhail Youzhny WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - South Africa's unbeaten Sharks face a LONDON (AP) - Liverpool given Arsenal a 23rd-minute stern test of their Super 14 title has its eyes on another lead at Emirates Stadium, a YouTube hit claims when they begin a five-week Champions League semifinal, Kuyt equalized to stop the road trip with a match against the and Arsene Wenger thinks its Gunners taking control. KEY BISCAYNE, Florida (AP) - A Wellington Hurricanes on Saturday. The Durban-based Sharks, who chances may have a lot to do While Adebayor's goal was tennis tantrum by Russian Mikhail have won six matches in South Africa with some extra help. a close-range header, Steven Youzhny left him bloodied but - including four at home - in the first The Arsenal manager Gerrard produced a moment made him a YouTube celebrity. seven weeks of the competition will believes Wednesday's 1-1 draw of quality to set up Liverpool's When Youzhny hit a backhand see their playoffs bid improve or fade against the Reds in the quar- equalizer with a weaving run into the net during his third-round over the next five weekends when terfinals of first leg whould past three defenders and a match at the Sony Ericsson Open they face the Hurricanes, Otago, ACT have been a victory for the cross to set up Kuyt's deflec- on Monday, he angrily whacked Brumbies, New South Wales and Canterbury. Gunners, if not for Dutch ref- tion inside the six-yard box. himself in the head three times The Sharks' wins to date have eree Pieter Vink. Benitez praised his team with his racket strings. The fore- often been narrow and scrappy. Coach "There was a blatant for responding so quickly to hand to the forehead sent a thick Dick Muir has acknowledged his team penalty that was not given just the Gunners goal. stream of blood running from has not yet recovered the form that under the eyes of the referee," "It was really important above his took it to last year's final. Wenger said, discussing a for us when you play against hairline down South African media have labeled challenge by Liverpool's Dutch Arsenal," he said. "When you his nose near- the team's program over the next five weeks as "the draw from hell" but forward Dirk Kuyt on Gunners concede a goal and you cannot ly to his Muir is confident the Sharks' tour midfielder Alexander Hleb. score soon, it's always diffi- mouth. through Australia and New Zealand "It's very difficult to accept cult. They continue attacking By will not dim its title hopes. in a game like that. If he was and you make a mistake, it's 2- Wednesday, South African teams have often in a bad position, yes. But the 0. So it was really important video of the struggled away from home but the the referee was five yards for us to score so fast." tantrum had form this season of the Stormers, who away from Kuyt, by coinci- But the Reds made little or drawn more have claimed 16 of a possible 20 points in matches on tour, have encouraged dence, and didn't give the no threat to Arsenal in the sec- than a half the Sharks to pursue similar success. penalty." ond half and packed in defen- million hits "In the time I've been with the Kuyt appeared appeared to sively. on YouTube. Sharks, I've never had a group so grab Hleb's shoulder, spinning "Arsenal are a good team," "I saw excited about touring," Muir said. him to the ground. Benitez said. "They were that," said "What the Stormers have achieved If Vink had given the attacking and attacking so we James Blake, helps. We have a wonderful itinerary penalty, Arsenal may well be needed to try to defend as we who lost in planned. We have a switch-on, switch- off policy, which means lots of work going to Anfield for next can, sometimes deep and try the quarterfi- but also lots of fun." Tuesday's second leg with a 2-1 to counter-attack." nals The Sharks have fallen eight lead. The Gunners went close Wednesday. points behind competition leaders Instead, Liverpool now has Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger gestures to his team during several times, especially after "That was Canterbury after their bye in round a great chance to reach the their Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match against Theo Walcott replaced the pretty funny Mikhail Youzhny six and because they have lacked the semifinals for the third time injured Robin van Persie for - not for Crusaders' facility to pick up four-try Liverpool at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in London, Wednesday, in four years. Liverpool the second half. Mikhail, I'm sure. bonus points. April 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Thomas) Muir said his team will have to Manager Rafa Benitez said he Liverpool defender Martin "Mardy Fish does that. He lift its play in the testing series of would have been surprised if Skrtel cleared a shot from punches the strings and ends up matches it now faces to press its play- a spot kick had been given. at Liverpool, he led Valencia "We are in a good position, Emmanuel Eboue off the line bleeding on his knuckles. I did that off claims. "In England it is not a to a UEFA Cup triumph. playing at Anfield with our and Gunners striker Nicklas as a kid and I kind of stopped doing "To be unbeaten is a good position penalty," he said. "It's not a Although Liverpool has supporters who are a massive Bendtner accidentally blocked that. It doesn't make a whole lot of to be in," Muir said. "But, knowing penalty because it is not very struggled season after season difference," he said. "But a goalbound shot from Cesc sense." that we're not right there, we don't have the luxury of being a little off clear." to make any impact in the against a good team with the Fabregas even though he was The episode occurred with our game. The crunch time is now." Benitez, who guided Premier League title race, it is quality you could see today we incorrectly judged offside. Youzhny trailing 5-4 in the third set Wellington will be a tough start- Liverpool to the title in 2005 a different team in Europe, need to play counter-attack During injury time, Fabregas of his match against Nicolas ing point for the Sharks' tour, pitting and last season's final against especially at Anfield and and work very hard in met a cross from Adebayor Almagro of Spain.