Flushing Meadows, NY – He sure doesn’t know how to play to a crowd.
Rafael Nadal should be offering refund to some of the most unhappy tennis fans after his 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 drubbing of Tommy Robredo tonight at the US Open, which took just 1 hour and 40 minutes.
But after the letdown of Roger Federer’s loss,Monday, could you blame him?
“I think I played great the first set,” he said. “It’s my first set so far this year 100%. I’m very happy the way I played the first set, I think.
“I did all the things that you expect to do good in the first set, in my opinion. I am very happy with the way that I moved myself on court, very happy that the way I hit my forehand and my backhand especially.
“So in general it was my best match of the tournament, so that’s great news to be in quarterfinals and played my best match of the tournament. But every day, no, just happy.
“To be in the semifinals is very important result for me. Is fantastic win, so just enjoy it today.”
He may have been the only happy guy in the house. The crowd was giving standing ovations for Robredo’s points, let along games.
It was that bad.
So you have to wonder after a dismantling of his practice partner, can Rafa be beat?
Well you think he will have a great chance against Richard Gasquet in the semis on Saturday. A guy he knows since he was young and considers a friend.
“He’s a nice guy, very nice person, one of the players on the tour that I feel closer because we are from the same age,” Nadal said. “We always had a good feeling.
“So it’s great, no? When you see a player like Richard that we grow up in, you know, similar ways and we played when we were kids.
“Today we have the chance to be in the semifinals of the US Open, so is great. Is a great thing for both of us, so very happy.”
A great time for all, sure, but you have to figure Nadal feels conformable with his 10-1 record against the Frenchman to go with his 20-0 record on the hard-courts this summer and 58-3 record since coming back in February.
On the other side, if all goes to Hoyle, it will be either No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic or defensing champion Andy Murray.
Either one will have a tough time.
Nadal, though, isn’t looking ahead.
“I don’t know if I will be, so I hope to be ready to play a good match against Richard,” he said. “If not, I will not have the chance to play the final. So if I don’t play great match against Richard, I will see the final on TV. I am focus only to play great match in semifinals against Richard.”
Fine, but you have to figure the Spaniard has to be the favorite going into the final weekend.
Let’s just hope he makes a show of it.
You don’t want the crowd to chant “Refund!!!”
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