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Nadal ‘sad’ as tie-breaker woes end bid for 20th Slam title
MELBOURNE, Jan 29, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Rafael Nadal said he was “sad” to be
out of the Australian Open Wednesday, depriving him of the chance to equal
Roger Federer’s 20 Grand Slam titles, but credited “great opponent” Dominic
Thiem after their four-set thriller.
The Spanish world number one was upset by the Austrian fifth seed in the
quarter-finals, losing three tie-breakers as he went down 7-6 (7/3), 7-6
(7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (8/6) it a 4hrs 10mins marathon.
Federer is still in the tournament and plays Novak Djokovic for a place in
the final on Thursday as the ageless Swiss hunts for a 21st Slam crown to
pull further away from his old rival.
“Of course, I am sad. I lost an opportunity to be in the semi-finals of
another Grand Slam,” said Nadal. “But I lost against a great opponent. And he
deserved it, too. Well done for him.”
Defeat also means Nadal, 33, must wait another year to try to become the
first man in the Open era — and only the third in history — to win all four
Major titles twice, after Roy Emerson and Rod Laver.
The Australian Open is his least successful Slam, having won just once in
2009, and he met his match in fellow baseliner Thiem.
Nadal beat the Austrian in the last two French Open finals and had a 9-4
record in his favour.
But Thiem, 26, rose to the occasion when it mattered with Nadal suggesting
his younger legs helped.
“I need a little bit more determination in some moments — true. It’s true
that in some moments, conditions have been a little bit heavy,” he said.
“I had two breaks with new balls. Then I felt more comfortable with the
new balls. The ball became so heavy. He’s younger, he’s very quick. With
these heavy balls, it’s difficult to produce sometimes winners.
“He has a lot of power, so he’s able to produce these amazing shots from a
very difficult position.”
Asked if there was anything he would have done differently, Nadal replied:
“Yes, win any tiebreak.”
“But that’s how it works. Sometimes things are not going the way that you
would like,” he added.
“But he played with the right determination. He was putting one more ball
in all the time in a difficult position for me. He’s playing with a lot of
energy, aggressive, determination.”
BSS/AFP/BZC/2055HRS