Friday, 9 October 2015

Tennis:Rafael Nadal beats Jack Sock to reach China Open semi-finals


Rafael Nadal is through to the semi-finals of the China Open after coming from a set down to beat Jack Sock.

Nadal will play Fabio Fognini in the final four after the Italian ousted Pablo Cuevas in their quarter-final tie.

The 14-time Grand Slam champion moved a step closer to ending his 21-month hard-court title drought with 3-6 6-4 6-3 victory over the big-serving American.

Nadal, who won his only previous meeting against Sock in four sets at this year's French Open, struggled to combat the American's forehand in opening set despite earning four break points.

The Spaniard's woes were then made worse when he double-faulted on set point.

There was a clear reaction from Nadal in the second as the clay court specialist started to find more freedom in his game.

After saving a break point while serving for the set, Nadal went on to level the match after Sock hit a backhand return into the net.

Nadal got a break at 3-3 in the decider after Sock shanked a forehand into the crowd. Nadal, who hit 10 fewer winners than Sock's 29, avoided having to serve out the game after breaking his 30th-ranked opponent on his first match point to win in just over two hours.

World No 1 Novak Djokovic takes on John Isner with the winner playing either David Ferrer or Yen-Hsun Lu.

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