Nadal outguns Blake in 3 sets in quarterfinal

MIAMI: World No 2 Rafael Nadal powered to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over James Blake on Wednesday to reach the semifinals of the Sony Ericsson Open.

Nadal defeated his American rival for the first time in his career at the Pacific Life Open quarters two weeks ago and replicated the feat on Wednesday.

"This one was a little more disappointing," Blake said.

"Last week I feel like I played my game. Just didn't play it well enough last week. This week I felt like I played my game for a while, and then I got a little indecisive."

Blake made far too many mistakes during the one hour, 55 minute contest, producing 31 unforced errors compared with just 13 for Nadal.

The American also offered Nadal 19 opportunities to break his serve - with the triple French Open champion breaking four times in total.

Nadal turned the match in his favor when he broke Blake with a sizzling backhand passing shot to go 5-3 up in the second set.

He greeted the break with his trademark fist pump and from then on Blake's challenge faded.

"He started (out) playing so aggressive," said Nadal of losing the first set. "I didn't have many chances in the beginning. I couldn't touch the ball. I couldn't get rhythm in the beginning, nothing."

But the Spaniard said he remained focused and managed to win his own serve easily.

"Right now I am feeling like I am playing at my best level, so that's important, to come to the clay season with more confidence," Nadal said.

Nadal will play world No 10 Tomas Berdych, who defeated Russia's Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday.

Jelena Jankovic advanced to the women's semifinals when Elena Dementieva retired with a back injury trailing 6-3, 3-1.

Dementieva said her back began bothering her on Tuesday, and she called it quits against Jankovic after 58 minutes. The loss ended an eight-match winning streak for the 10th-seeded Dementieva.

No 4 Jankovic barely survived her opening match in the tournament. In the third set against Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden, Jankovic overcame a 5-1 deficit, then saved five match points in a tiebreaker

"It was a scary feeling, you know, just thinking that I may be over with this tournament," Jankovic said. "But I was really strong mentally and was able to get through that match, which gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the tournament."

The Serb has since swept every set in the past three matches.

Jankovic had never advanced beyond the third round in five previous appearances at Key Biscayne. She's seeking her first tournament title this year, and on Thursday she'll face 19th-seeded Vera Zvonareva, who beat No 13 Dinara Safina 7-5, 6-4.

Four-time Key Biscayne champion Serena Williams will play No 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the other semifinal.

Agencies

(China Daily 04/04/2008 page22)