Nadal suffers shock defeat
Rafael Nadal still confident ahead of Australia
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Thursday, 08, Jan 2009 09:05
World number one Rafael Nadal has been sent crashing out of the Qatar Open by young Frenchman Gael Monfils.
An out-of-sorts Nadal could barely keep-up with the all-action Monfils and was broken three times as he lost 6-4 6-4.
Monfils is regarded as one of the quickest players in the game and he showed that today as he chased down ball after ball. But he was gifted the win in the end as Nadal uncharacteristically came up with a double fault and two forehand errors in the last game of the match.
Despite the surprising defeat, Nadal was still in confident mood heading into the Australian Open, which kicks off on January 18th.
"There's no damage to my confidence," insisted Nadal. "I knew before the match that the beginning of the season was not going to be easy because, although I have had more rest than other players, I have also had more time outside of competition than others.
"So it is a little bit more difficult to come back fast to my rhythm. I have had two matches here and five altogether, so I leave here with positive feelings when I go to Australia."
Monfils will now face American Andy Roddick in the semi-finals after he defeated unseeded Romanian Victor Hanescu.