The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korea's Coast Guard apprehends 22 Chinese after illegal entry attempt

  • 3

    Ruling party vows to investigate China's alleged influence operations

  • 5

    TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map

  • 7

    SEVENTEEN's unique approach to artistry: A deep dive into self-production and collaboration

  • 9

    Koreans' happiness rising slowly but surely: presidential panel

  • 11

    Korea crashes out of medal contention in men's basketball

  • 13

    Korean shipbuilders seek lead over Chinese rivals in selling LNG carriers to Qatar

  • 15

    30 out of 74 major financial companies lack female board member

  • 17

    Traffic on major expressways eases on final day of holiday

  • 19

    BTS' Jungkook to release first solo album 'Golden'

  • 2

    Public transit fares to increase in Seoul and Busan this week

  • 4

    Genesis GV80 Coupe looks to compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW

  • 6

    Korean steelmakers on alert over initiation of EU carbon border tariff

  • 8

    Block Party returns to Yongsan for 2nd year

  • 10

    Korea wins gold medal in men's team Go

  • 12

    Pilot dead after civilian helicopter crashes into reservoir in Pocheon

  • 14

    Dream-pop band Nice Legs revisits Korea for Block Party

  • 16

    Dong-A Socio Group’s honorary chairman passes away at 96

  • 18

    Hyundai, Kia to extend earnings rally on strengthening dollar, solid sales

  • 20

    Lawmakers want chairmen of financial firms held accountable over misconduct

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
Thu, October 5, 2023 | 08:39
Hampered Nadal gets past Fritz at Wimbledon
Posted : 2022-07-07 16:34
Updated : 2022-07-07 16:34
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates winning against US player Taylor Fritz after winning his men's singles quarter final tennis match on the tenth day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, July 6. AFP-Yonhap
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates winning against US player Taylor Fritz after winning his men's singles quarter final tennis match on the tenth day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, July 6. AFP-Yonhap

Wincing from abdominal pain, unable to ply his customary relentless style of tennis, Rafael Nadal thought he might need to stop playing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz.

Up in the Center Court stands, Nadal's father was waving his arms, motioning to the 22-time Grand Slam champion to quit. Not surprisingly, perhaps, he didn't listen. Nadal stayed out there, adjusted his service motion and his strategy _ and figured out a way to win.

With much of the crowd roaring and standing after Nadal's best strokes, he twice erased one-set deficits against the 11th-seeded Fritz and emerged with 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4) victory Wednesday to reach his eighth semifinal at the All England Club.

''For a lot of moments,'' Nadal said, ''I was thinking, 'Maybe I will not be able to finish the match.'''

He did complete it, but said he couldn't be sure whether he will be able to play Friday against Nick Kyrgios, a 27-year-old Australian who earned his Grand Slam semifinal debut with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory over Cristian Garin of Chile.

''I don't know exactly what I have. It's clear something's not right,'' said Nadal, who will get tests Thursday for an issue that first cropped up nearly a week ago but got much worse at 3-1 in the first set against Fritz. ''I'm obviously worried.''

The other men's semifinal is Novak Djokovic against Cam Norrie. The women's semifinals Thursday are 2019 champion Simona Halep against Elena Rybakina, and Ons Jabeur against Tatjana Maria. Halep eliminated Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-4, and Rybakina defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Nadal got to his 38th career major semifinal by denying what would have been a first such appearance for Fritz, who beat Nadal in the hard-court final at Indian Wells, California, in March. That ended a 20-match winning streak for Nadal, who was bothered that day by a painful rib injury.

Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates winning against US player Taylor Fritz after winning his men's singles quarter final tennis match on the tenth day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, July 6. AFP-Yonhap
Spain's Rafael Nadal returns to Taylor Fritz of the US in a men's singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, July 6. AP-Yonhap

This time, the problem was a muscle in his stomach area, which had some athletic tape. Nadal left the court with a trainer for a medical timeout while up 4-3 in the second set; Fritz paced around the baseline, waiting.

A doctor gave Nadal some pills; the trainer tried to relax the muscle.

''They can't do much,'' Nadal said. ''Nothing can be fixed when you have a thing like this.''

When action resumed, Nadal clearly was compromised. It was hard not to think: Might he give up?

Nadal acknowledged that went through his mind. Fritz did, too.

''It definitely made me kind of think. I kind of stopped being as aggressive,'' the 24-year-old American said. ''I feel like I let it kind of get to me a little bit.''

He pretty much handed over the second set of what would become a 4-hour, 21-minute contest under a sky of slate clouds. After Fritz took the third set, his big serve got broken three times in the next.

Nadal occasionally would watch a ball off Fritz's orange racket fly by. Nadal couldn't move the way he usually does. His trademark grunts of ''Uhhhh!'' were rare. He didn't generate the usual zip on his serves, which dipped from a high of 120 mph to barely above 100 mph. He sought to end exchanges with a quick-strike forehand or a drop shot ― sometimes with success, often not.

But Nadal is not one who concedes easily. This was his 351st Grand Slam match and he has a total of three mid-match retirements at majors (against Andy Murray at the 2010 Australian Open, against Marin Cilic at the 2018 Australian Open, and against Juan Martin del Potro at the 2018 U.S. Open). In all tour-level events, the totals are: 1,275 matches, nine retirements.

''I hate to do it,'' Nadal said.

Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates winning against US player Taylor Fritz after winning his men's singles quarter final tennis match on the tenth day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, July 6. AFP-Yonhap
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after losing a point as he plays Taylor Fritz of the U.S. in a men's singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, July 6. AP-Yonhap

So he summoned his best for last, grabbing a 5-0 lead in the closing tiebreaker _ the first-to-10, win-by-two format starting at 6-all in a fifth set is new to Wimbledon this year _ and then five of the last six points.

Fritz's take on the tiebreaker? ''Got destroyed,'' he said.

''Probably hurts more than any loss I've ever had,'' Fritz said. ''After the match was over, I was sitting there and I felt like crying.''

Nadal extended his unbeaten mark in 2022 Grand Slam matches to 19-0 as he seeks to add a trophy at Wimbledon to his triumphs at the Australian Open in January and French Open in June. For everything he's accomplished, the 36-year-old Spaniard never has won the first three Slam titles of a season.

Nadal, who won Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, leads Kyrgios 6-3 head-to-head; they are 1-all at Wimbledon. In 2014, Kyrgios, then just 19 and ranked 144th, announced himself to the world by winning; in 2019, Nadal took the rematch after Kyrgios was at a local pub into the wee hours the night before.

''I feel like that would be a mouth-watering kind of encounter for everyone around the world,'' Kyrgios, never afraid of a little hyperbole, said about facing Nadal again. ''That would probably be the most-watched match of all time.''

Give Kyrgios credit for honesty on this matter, at least: Even he did not think this day ever would arrive. Kyrgios became the first unseeded and lowest-ranked man to get to the final four at the All England Club since 2008 by playing what, for him, amounts to a restrained and efficient brand of tennis against Garin.

''I thought my ship had sailed,'' Kyrgios said. ''Obviously, I didn't go about things great early in my career and may have wasted that little window.''

Kyrgios, who is ranked 40th, has garnered more attention for his behavior on and off the court than his skills with a racket in hand. His match against the unseeded Garin came a day after police in Canberra, Australia, said that Kyrgios is due in court next month to face an allegation of common assault stemming from something that happened in December.

''I have a lot of thoughts, a lot of things I want to say, kind of my side about it,'' Kyrgios said at his post-match news conference. ''Obviously I've been advised by my lawyers that I'm unable to say anything at this time.''

Worth noting, too, is how well Kyrgios has been playing. His serve, in particular, is among the best in the game, regularly topping 130 mph, and he pounded 17 aces against Garin while getting broken just once _ in the very first game, at love.

His big forehands are terrific, too, but little else is conventional about Kyrgios. One example: ''I don't have a coach,'' Kyrgios said with a smile. ''I would never put that burden on someone.'' (AP)


 
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1POSCO Future M, LG Chem, EcoPro BM hit by plunging lithium, nickel prices POSCO Future M, LG Chem, EcoPro BM hit by plunging lithium, nickel prices
2Gangnam gears up for festival showcasing various K-culture events Gangnam gears up for festival showcasing various K-culture events
3North Korea lays groundwork for US disarmament talks: experts North Korea lays groundwork for US disarmament talks: experts
4South Korea to found cyberwarfare reserve forces in 2025 South Korea to found cyberwarfare reserve forces in 2025
5Samsung targets mid-range market with affordable S23 FE Samsung targets mid-range market with affordable S23 FE
6Seoul's parks abuzz with fall festivals Seoul's parks abuzz with fall festivals
7Bank of Korea takes first step to adopt centralized digital currency Bank of Korea takes first step to adopt centralized digital currency
8Task force planned to prevent opinion-rigging on Daum portal Task force planned to prevent opinion-rigging on Daum portal
9Seoul to invest W5 tril. to become fintech powerhouse Seoul to invest W5 tril. to become fintech powerhouse
10Seoul stocks tumble on concerns over Fed's prolonged monetary tightening Seoul stocks tumble on concerns over Fed's prolonged monetary tightening
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Crime thriller, romance series set to roll out in October Crime thriller, romance series set to roll out in October
2Korean literature featured as animation works at Incheon Airport Korean literature featured as animation works at Incheon Airport
328th BIFF opens with star-studded red carpet event28th BIFF opens with star-studded red carpet event
4[PHOTOS] Kep1er returns with 'Magic Hour' to mesmerize fans PHOTOSKep1er returns with 'Magic Hour' to mesmerize fans
5TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group