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Monday, March 29, 2004
Nadal breaks Federer's 12-0 streak
Sunday, March 28, 2004
Updated: March 29, 9:22 AM ET
Associated Press
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Roger Federer could only watch 17-year-old Rafael Nadal celebrate.
As the Spaniard closed in on an upset, he flexed his biceps following one point and leaped behind the baseline after another. And when Nadal put away a volley to complete the biggest victory of his young life, he danced and punched the air.
With a brilliant variety of shot-making, the big-swinging left-hander from Mallorca beat the top-ranked Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the third round of the Nasdaq-100 Open.
"I was afraid he could win 6-1, 6-1," Nadal said. "I played almost perfect tennis."
Federer, the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, lost for only the second time in 25 matches this year. The loss was an upset but no fluke: Nadal has been touted as a future top-10 player and showed himself worthy of the hype.
"He hit some really incredible shots, and that's what youngsters do," Federer said. "I've heard a lot about him and saw some of his matches, so this is not a big surprise."
Nadal, the nephew of a professional soccer player, did everything but kick the ball over the net. He smacked winners from both sides, won 13 points at the net and closed out one game with a nifty crosscourt drop shot that brought a roar from the crowd.
When asked about the reaction to result back home, Nadal laughed.
"Right now it's 4 a.m. in Spain and everybody's sleeping," he said. "Maybe tomorrow I'll start getting some calls."
In other men's play, former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt lost to Andrei Pavel 6-4, 7-5. Hewitt had 10 double-faults, including three in the final game.
Todd Martin advanced, but fellow American Robby Ginepri was eliminated by Nicolas Kiefer 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4.
Nadal, the youngest player in the 96-man field, improved to 3-1 against top 10 opponents. He also has beaten Carlos Moya and Albert Costa.
The Spaniard took an early lead against Federer and kept it. He won 36 of 48 points on his serve and never faced a break point.
"I served extremely well," he said. "Probably I never served like this in my life. That was the key."
Federer's practice time during the week was curtailed by a bout with the flu, although he declined to use that as an excuse.
"Obviously he didn't play his tennis," Nadal said. "If he had played his best tennis, I would have had no chance."
Nadal became the first teen-ager to beat a top-ranked man since an 18-year-old Andy Roddick upset Gustavo Kuerten in August 2001 at Montreal.
Sunday, March 28, 2004
Updated: March 29, 9:22 AM ET
Associated Press
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Roger Federer could only watch 17-year-old Rafael Nadal celebrate.
As the Spaniard closed in on an upset, he flexed his biceps following one point and leaped behind the baseline after another. And when Nadal put away a volley to complete the biggest victory of his young life, he danced and punched the air.
With a brilliant variety of shot-making, the big-swinging left-hander from Mallorca beat the top-ranked Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the third round of the Nasdaq-100 Open.
"I was afraid he could win 6-1, 6-1," Nadal said. "I played almost perfect tennis."
Federer, the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, lost for only the second time in 25 matches this year. The loss was an upset but no fluke: Nadal has been touted as a future top-10 player and showed himself worthy of the hype.
"He hit some really incredible shots, and that's what youngsters do," Federer said. "I've heard a lot about him and saw some of his matches, so this is not a big surprise."
Nadal, the nephew of a professional soccer player, did everything but kick the ball over the net. He smacked winners from both sides, won 13 points at the net and closed out one game with a nifty crosscourt drop shot that brought a roar from the crowd.
When asked about the reaction to result back home, Nadal laughed.
"Right now it's 4 a.m. in Spain and everybody's sleeping," he said. "Maybe tomorrow I'll start getting some calls."
In other men's play, former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt lost to Andrei Pavel 6-4, 7-5. Hewitt had 10 double-faults, including three in the final game.
Todd Martin advanced, but fellow American Robby Ginepri was eliminated by Nicolas Kiefer 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4.
Nadal, the youngest player in the 96-man field, improved to 3-1 against top 10 opponents. He also has beaten Carlos Moya and Albert Costa.
The Spaniard took an early lead against Federer and kept it. He won 36 of 48 points on his serve and never faced a break point.
"I served extremely well," he said. "Probably I never served like this in my life. That was the key."
Federer's practice time during the week was curtailed by a bout with the flu, although he declined to use that as an excuse.
"Obviously he didn't play his tennis," Nadal said. "If he had played his best tennis, I would have had no chance."
Nadal became the first teen-ager to beat a top-ranked man since an 18-year-old Andy Roddick upset Gustavo Kuerten in August 2001 at Montreal.
Pope says 'silent cry' of children should stir world's conscience
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II appealed on behalf of the sick and suffering children around the globe, saying their "silent cry" should stir the world's conscience. Christians in particular should respond with "courageous action" to help children in distress, especially during Lent, the pope said at his noon blessing March 28. The pope, who made children the focus of his Lenten message this year, said he was worried about the many young people who suffer from serious diseases like tuberculosis and AIDS, as well as hunger and lack of education. "Undernourishment and malnutrition, aggravated by worrisome deficiencies in health care, continue to be the daily cause of death for a great number of these small ones, who are deprived even of the minimum necessary for survival," he said. In some of the poorest countries, children and adolescents have been enrolled as soldiers in many of the world's "forgotten wars," the pope said. According to the Vatican's missionary news agency, Fides, more than 300,000 child-soldiers ages 7-17 are fighting in 36 conflicts around the world; 12 of the conflicts are in Africa.
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20040329.htm
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II appealed on behalf of the sick and suffering children around the globe, saying their "silent cry" should stir the world's conscience. Christians in particular should respond with "courageous action" to help children in distress, especially during Lent, the pope said at his noon blessing March 28. The pope, who made children the focus of his Lenten message this year, said he was worried about the many young people who suffer from serious diseases like tuberculosis and AIDS, as well as hunger and lack of education. "Undernourishment and malnutrition, aggravated by worrisome deficiencies in health care, continue to be the daily cause of death for a great number of these small ones, who are deprived even of the minimum necessary for survival," he said. In some of the poorest countries, children and adolescents have been enrolled as soldiers in many of the world's "forgotten wars," the pope said. According to the Vatican's missionary news agency, Fides, more than 300,000 child-soldiers ages 7-17 are fighting in 36 conflicts around the world; 12 of the conflicts are in Africa.
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20040329.htm
