By Alberto Amalfi | Friday, April 26, 2019
Rafael Nadal drilled a brilliant forehand down the line closing a 7-5, 7-5 triumph over Jan-Lennard Struff to power into his 12th Barcelona semifinal.
Photo credit: Pedro Salado/Barcelona Open BancSabadell – Trofeo Conde de Godo Facebook
Dashing past the doubles alley on match point, Rafael Nadal leaned low for the shin-high shot and bended a brilliant banana strike down the line leaving Jan-Lennard Struff staring at the improbable landing spot.
The reigning champion struggled in his opening set of the tournament, but showed familiar finishing power today.
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That eye-popping forehand strike was a spectacular close to Nadal's 7-5, 7-5, decision over a tough Struff that sent him into the Barcelona semifinals for the 12th time.
Every time Nadal has reached the semifinals, he's gone on to take the title and now he's two wins away from becoming the first man in ATP history to capture the same title 12 times.
Nadal broke in the last game of both sets extending his tournament winning streak to 18 matches on the court that bears his name and raising his Barcelona record to 61-3.
The big-hitting Struff knocked off 10th-seeded David Goffin and 2018 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas imposing his aggressive game on both seeds.
Knowing waging a grinding baseline battle vs. the 11-time Roland Garros on clay was a losing proposition, credit Struff for mixing up his game, attacking net when possible and serving-and-volleying at times.
Finding his best service rhythm of the week, Nadal served 75 percent, won 13 of 15 second-serve points and dropped serve only once.
Asserting his net skills Struff broke back for 3-4 winning eight of 10 points to level the match after eight games.
Nadal rampaged through a love break in the 12th game to take a one-set led.
Continuing his quest for a 12th Barcelona crown, Nadal will play Indian Wells champion Dominic Thiem in a rematch of the 2018 Roland Garros final.
Thiem tamed Argentine left-hander Guido Pella, 7-5, 6-2, advancing to his third semifinal of the season.
Earlier, a pair of lucky losers saw their roads come to an end.
ATP match win leader Daniil Medvedev dissected a weary Nicolas Jarry, 6-3, 6-4, charging into his fifth semifinal of the season.
The 81st-ranked Jarry, who upset second-seeded Alexander Zverev and 13th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov in successive third-set tie breakers, was playing his sixth match in seven days and lacked the legs to test Medvedev.
Despite serving just 42 percent with four double faults, Medvedev did not drop serve in the match.
The seventh-seeded Russian won 23 of 25 first-serve points.
Medvedev raised his record to an ATP-best 24-7.
A week after toppling world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo, Medvedev will play Kei Nishikori for a spot in Sunday's final.
Two-time champion Nishikori denied all four break points he faced in a 6-4, 7-5, decision over Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena.
Nishikori raised his Barcelona record to 16-6 setting up a semifinal vs. Medvedev. That match is a rematch of January's Brisbane final, which Nishikori won 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.