Hamburg (AFP)–Umabante ang top seed na si Rafael Nadal patungo sa final ng claycourt tournament sa Hamburg noong Linggo sa pagkuha ng komportableng 6-1, 6-2 na panalo sa semifinal laban kay Andreas Seppi ng Italy.
Makakaharap ni Nadal, 29, ang isa pang Italian sa final ngayong Lunes sa katauhan ng 32nd-ranked na si Fabio Fognini na tinalo naman si Lucas Pouille ng France, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) sa isa pang last-four showdown.
Si Fognini, seeded eighth, ay isang pamilyar na kalaban para sa Spaniard, dalawang ulit na niyang tinalo ang Spaniard ngayong season – sa Rio de Janeiro at Barcelona.
Para kay Nadal, ito ang ika-96 na final sa kanyang career at ikatlo niya sa Hamburg kung saan huli niyang napanalunan ang titulo noong 2008 nang magwagi kontra kay Roger Federer.
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“I will try to keep playing well and enjoy today’s victory,” sabi ni Nadal, na dumaan sa maraming pagsubok ngayong 2015 kabilang ang pagkawala ng kanyang titulo sa French Open at pagkakalugmok sa pinakamababa niyang ranking sa loob ng isang dekada.
“These are important points for me -- 300 points for my goal of qualifying for the World Tour Finals is important. Matches like today help to bring you your confidence and your motivation for what you are doing.”
Si Nadal, ang world number 10, ay mayroong 25-6 na karatada sa clay ngayong season, at susubukan niyang palawigin ang kanyang streak na nakapanalo ng isang titulo sa European claycourt kada taon mula 2004.
“From the beginning I played great, since the first game that I hit a few winners,” lahad ni Nadal sa www.atpworldtour.com.
“I was very comfortable on court today, feeling the ball well, with topspin to his backhand and then changing to his forehand down the line - a very important shot for me. In general it was a very positive match.
“Every victory is important. And this year with the up and downs that I’ve had, obviously every improvement is important. I played at a very high level.
“I’m very happy for that, playing with not many mistakes, very well with my backhand, very well with my forehand, hitting winners, changing speeds, changing directions. I think I played a great match.” (Yahoo Sports)
