Riyadh begins property acquisition for major road development projects    Saudi minister explores strategic industrial and mining partnerships with top Russian firms    Riyadh's Creative District to welcome Italy's Istituto Marangoni    CMA approves major reforms to ease investment account access for foreign and local investors    Saudi Arabia reaffirms OPEC+ compliance as June crude supply hits 9.35 million bpd    Lithuanian politicians taken to shelters after Belarus airspace violation alarm    EU leaders agree to send delegation to Libya after previous group expelled from country    Armenia and Azerbaijan move closer to peace, pushing Russia out from the South Caucasus    Trump says he will hike tariffs on Canadian goods to 35%    France's Lady Liberty artwork goes viral as a new Statue of Liberty could be in the works    Saudi population reaches 35.3 million in 2024, majority under 65    GASTAT: Industrial Production Index rises by 1.5% in May    Theo Hernández: Al Hilal can compete with Europe's best    Abdullah Al-Qaisoom wins silver at Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championship    Aubameyang's future at Al Qadsiah in doubt after cryptic post comparing Saudi League strikers    Makkah Deputy Emir leads washing of Holy Kaaba    SFDA approves 'Winrevair' for rare pulmonary hypertension treatment    HONOR returns to Esports World Cup as Official Smartphone Partner for 2025 The renewed commitment will see HONOR elevate mobile esports competition with cutting-edge AI technologies and industry-leading hardware    Michael Madsen, actor of 'Kill Bill' and 'Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67    BTS are back: K-pop band confirm new album and tour    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Garcia-Lopez upsets Nadal
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 03 - 10 - 2010

Lopez of Spain celebrates his victory against Spain's Rafael Nadal in Bangkok Saturday. (Reuters)
NONTHABURI, Thailand: Top-ranked Rafael Nadal suffered a surprise loss in the Thailand Open semifinals Saturday, going down 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3 to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in an all-Spanish semifinal.
The 53rd-ranked Garcia-Lopez became only the seventh player to beat Nadal in 2010, surprising his fellow Spaniard with an impressive string of winners and flat, wide serves - including 10 aces. “It's a difficult loss to accept,” Nadal said, openly stunned by the upset. “It's one of those matches you are going to lose once every two years.”
Nadal had played Garcia-Lopez twice before and not dropped a set, and he looked on his way to another routine win when he took the first set, but the top seed paid the price for taking only two of 26 break points.
Garcia-Lopez saved 16 break points in the second set to force a tiebreak, taking it 7-3, and then snatched his only break point opportunity in the fourth game of the decider.
Garcia-Lopez will play his second ATP final of the season against 60th-ranked Jarkko Nieminen Sunday.
“I've never beaten a No. 1 player in the world,” an elated Garcia-Lopez said. “I think this is the best victory in my career. Everything was fantastic. For the moment, I'm a bit shocked.”
The 29-year-old Nieminen reached his first final of the year thanks to some sharp groundstrokes and an accurate first serve.
The Finn has not dropped a set in his run to the final, including wins over No. 7-seeded Viktor Troicki in the second round and No. 3-seeded Jurgen Melzer in the quarterfinals.
Wozniacki wins title
Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki recovered from a slow start to beat Elena Dementieva 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 in Saturday's final of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
Dementieva, who won here in 2006, raced to a 4-0 lead and won the first set when Wozniacki double faulted. But the World No. 2 found her game in the second set and won the match when the Russian double faulted in the final game.
“Elena was playing well in the first set, getting a lot of first shots in,” Wozniacki said.
The seventh-seeded Dementieva had a chance to keep the momentum in the second set when she was up 40-love in the third game but Wozniacki fought back to break and take a 2-1 lead.
Wozniacki can overtake Serena Williams as No. 1 in the world rankings if she reaches the quarterfinals or better in at the China Open in Beijing next week.
Golubev in final
Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev upset No. 11-ranked David Ferrer of Spain 7-5, 7-6 (4) to reach the final of the Malaysian Open Saturday.
The 41st-ranked Golubev, who ousted top-seeded Robin Soderling in the quarterfinals, will meet Mikhail Youzhny in the final after the fourth seed defeated fellow Russian Igor Andreev 3-6, 6-0, 6


Clic here to read the story from its source.