ROME: Defending champion Rafael Nadal swept past Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-Three, 6-Four to advance to his first last on clay this season on the Italian Open on Saturday.
The eight-time Rome winner were surprised by way of Tsitsipas, seeded 8th, in the semi-finals on the Madrid Open closing weekend.
But the 32-year-old Spaniard used to be medical on the crimson clay of the Foro Italico successful via in 1hr 42min to handle his file of having no longer dropped a collection this week.
"It's an important victory for me," stated Nadal. "I played a solid match against a good player who is winning lot of matches on this surface. Last week I didn't play very well in Madrid. Today I did better."
Nadal, seeded second, used to be taking part in his fourth straight semi-final, however had no longer managed to move further on clay this season.
His run to the Rome last comes only a week earlier than he starts his attack on a 12th French Open identify at Roland Garros.
"The feeling is that I am playing better every week, every day. That's important for me," he stated.
"It's no longer a drama to lose in semi-finals. The major thing is get well my level.
"I say in Madrid I was taking part in higher, then I played a bad fit in the semi-finals, true.
"But my feeling, especially after my loss against (Dominic) Thiem in the semi-finals of Barcelona, I think my personal feeling improved and my energy came back a little bit."
"I've been through some tough moments after Indian Wells. Recovery of the knee again... was not easy to come back and to prepare myself the right way."
Tsitsipas, meanwhile, used to be at a loss to give an explanation for his performance as he fell to his fourth defeat in five fits against the Spaniard.
"I'm the same person as I was last week. Nothing changed," he stated.
"He (Nadal) is in good shape. I think I learned a lot these three weeks. It's good to come into a Grand Slam knowing what you've done well."
The eight-time Rome winner were surprised by way of Tsitsipas, seeded 8th, in the semi-finals on the Madrid Open closing weekend.
But the 32-year-old Spaniard used to be medical on the crimson clay of the Foro Italico successful via in 1hr 42min to handle his file of having no longer dropped a collection this week.
"It's an important victory for me," stated Nadal. "I played a solid match against a good player who is winning lot of matches on this surface. Last week I didn't play very well in Madrid. Today I did better."
Nadal, seeded second, used to be taking part in his fourth straight semi-final, however had no longer managed to move further on clay this season.
His run to the Rome last comes only a week earlier than he starts his attack on a 12th French Open identify at Roland Garros.
"The feeling is that I am playing better every week, every day. That's important for me," he stated.
"It's no longer a drama to lose in semi-finals. The major thing is get well my level.
"I say in Madrid I was taking part in higher, then I played a bad fit in the semi-finals, true.
"But my feeling, especially after my loss against (Dominic) Thiem in the semi-finals of Barcelona, I think my personal feeling improved and my energy came back a little bit."
"I've been through some tough moments after Indian Wells. Recovery of the knee again... was not easy to come back and to prepare myself the right way."
Tsitsipas, meanwhile, used to be at a loss to give an explanation for his performance as he fell to his fourth defeat in five fits against the Spaniard.
"I'm the same person as I was last week. Nothing changed," he stated.
"He (Nadal) is in good shape. I think I learned a lot these three weeks. It's good to come into a Grand Slam knowing what you've done well."
Nadal dispatches Tsitsipas to reach Rome final
![Nadal dispatches Tsitsipas to reach Rome final]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
May 19, 2019
Rating:
