MADRID, Spain – Rafael Nadal will end the year at No. 1 after he and Roger Federer both lost in the semifinals of the Madrid Masters on Saturday.
Andy Murray and Gilles Simon will meet in the final. The resilient Simon upset Nadal 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (6) after the fourth-ranked Murray beat Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to prevent what would have been the fifth Nadal-Federer final this season.
Once Federer lost, Nadal clinched becoming the first Spanish player in the Open era to end the year with the No. 1 ranking.
Simon goes for his fourth title in 2008 thanks to excellent shot-making throughout the final set, which was marked by long rallies and replay challenges — including the final point, when Hawkeye confirmed that Nadal's shot sailed long.
Simon saved 17 break point chances — including seven in the third set — in a match that lasted nearly 3 1/2 hours. Nadal lost for only the second time in 73 matches after taking the first set.
"I'm playing a great, great player and I don't want to miss that so I fight for every point," said a visibly drained Simon, who was taken to three sets for the fifth straight match. "When you play against Rafa in Madrid, that's not easy."
The 16th-ranked Simon, who jumps to No. 10 on Monday, won at Bucharest, Casablanca and Indianapolis. He beat Federer at Toronto in August to become the first to register wins over two separate top-ranked players in the same year since Rainer Schuettler triumphed over Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick in 2003.
Simon had saved match points against three of his previous four opponents, but the Frenchman's powerful, low groundstrokes troubled the top-ranked Nadal enough that he didn't have to do it a fourth time.
"I was a little unlucky today. I had some mistakes with the backhand, which didn't help," said Nadal, the 2005 champion. "But I'm not surprised. He's playing very well and with great confidence."
Nadal broke the tiring Simon in the sixth game before also dropping serve. Simon broke again in the 11th when one of Nadal's 55 unforced errors sailed wide, but the Spaniard rallied to force the tiebreaker.
Nadal jumped out to a 3-1 lead before Simon rattled off four straight points. Nadal saved two match points but the momentum was with Simon, whose win ensured the tournament would crown a new winner for the seventh straight year.
"I'm playing tennis for this kind of match," said Simon, who has split his two previous meetings with Murray.
Nadal lost a final-set tiebreaker for the first time since Cincinnati three years ago.
The first semifinal was a rematch of the U.S. Open championship, which Federer won. This time, Murray broke the second-ranked Federer in the final set on his seventh break point chance to reach his second Masters Series final this season. The Briton won at Cincinnati.
Murray had squandered six break point chances in the third set. Finally, Murray's deep backhand forced Federer's forehand long.
"Against Federer, you just have to ask yourself: 'Do I go for it and take a chance or sit back and wait?'" said Murray, who improved to 3-2 against Federer. "It was a great hit and probably the most important of the match."
More than half of Murray's 33 winners and eight of his 14 aces came in the final set, in which he wore Federer down with serves to his forehand.
"It worked, didn't it?" Murray said. "He missed a lot more (today) since I think he wasn't expecting it."
Federer, who cruised through the draw following a five-week layoff, has won a Masters Series title every year since 2002. He has only Paris and Shanghai left to earn his first of 2008.
"It's a frustrating loss because there's not a whole lot you can do, because the serving was so good today," Federer said. "I feel like I'm playing well. I'm moving well. That's the way I want to feel."
Earlier this year, Federer and Nadal both lost on the same in the semifinals at Indian Wells.
sources yahoo news
