NADAL FIRED UP ~ INTO MIAMI 08 SEMI FINALS ~ WINS OVER BLAKE

April 4, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. the semi-final match with

Tomas Berdych (CZE) [10] vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP) [2]

Rafael Nadal against James Blake April 2, 2008

This post updated April 3, 08 at 7:30 with video of the match below.

Nadal Defeats Blake to Reach Miami Semifinals

World No. 2 Rafael Nadal made his way into the semifinals for the second straight ATP Masters Series tournament at the expense of No. 9 James Blake, defeating the American 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.

After losing his first three career matches against Blake, Nadal prevailed in three sets two weeks ago in the Pacific Life Open quarterfinals. The Spaniard then lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.

With his victory over Blake, the 21-year-old Nadal picked up his circuit-best 20th match win of the season and reached the semifinals for the fourth time this year. He has a 1-3 record in semifinals, his win coming in his season opener at Chennai, where he saved four match points to defeat compatriot Carlos Moya in three hours and 54 minutes.

The Spaniard will attempt to secure his place in his second Miami final when he meets the winner between Wednesday night's quarterfinal between World No. 10 Tomas Berdych and Russian No. 31 seed Igor Andreev.

Nadal reached the Miami final in 2005, when he lost to World No. 1 Roger Federer in five sets. Two-time champion Federer meets 2004 titlist Andy Roddick in quarterfinal action on Thursday. It is the first time since 2000 the No. 1 and 2 seeds have advanced to the quarterfinals in Miami. Source: ATP Tennis

An interview with : RAFAEL NADAL after JAMES BLAKEmatch

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A few weeks ago before Indian Wells, people were saying, and looking at his record, thinking he's maybe a little bit in your head. What turned around? And are you in his head a little bit now maybe?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think, so. I think we play very tough matches, both, Indian Wells and here. Very good matches I think. Well, he start playing so aggressive. I don't have many chances in the beginning. I can't touch the ball. I can't get the rhythm in the beginning, nothing. But I was all the time very focused, no? Serving well? The first set, I don't know, but I was playing well, winning my serves easy.

Q. So later in the 43, 30Love, you play against James and he has three winners, returns, something like this. So you don't know why, but you are 63 down.

RAFAEL NADAL: So later I won a very important point. One 1530 with one long volley after long point with the backhand. This change a little bit the match, no? And later I have the break in the 43. That's turn of the match.

Q. You've found a way to get on James' backhand side and make that work for you. How have you done that?

RAFAEL NADAL: I think I play better this two times than the last times against him, no? I change a little bit tactically. I play more aggressive than before.

I think just before I was running a lot, two meters behind the line. I think right now I playing a little bit more aggressive. I can lose, but I think it's the only way for try to win.

Q. Does it help to hit the service returns high to James on the backhand side?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I need change the serve because I don't have 230 kilometer serve. Well, so I have to change. I serve with more topspin sometimes. Sometimes a little bit more flat. But I have to change. If not, it's impossible because he returns so fast.

Q. Has Djokovic's early loss here taken a bit of pressure off you in terms of ranking? Obviously after this tournament you've got a lot of points to defend. Do you feel a little less pressure now?

RAFAEL NADAL: Djokovic is very good player. He can be No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 right now. Doesn't matter, no?

But I just try my best in every tournament. If he pass me and he's the No. 2 or No. 1, we have to accept that and congratulate him. But the only thing is try to put the I just try my best. And, well, with this tournament, a little bit with more calm.

But anyway, I have to defend a lot of points. He's going to have his good chances on clay for pass me. But I just my goal is try to continuing playing like here and play like this, I going to have my chances for being in the top positions.

Q. Do you feel as though you're game is coming together now? I know it's the end of hard court season, but do you get the sense that things are beginning to come into place for you at an important time?

RAFAEL NADAL: I think for me it's very good, both tournaments, no? Semifinals in Indian Wells and being in semifinals here, it's very good tournament for me. Best players of the world are here, playing at hard surface.

So three most important tournaments this year on hard, I was in the semifinals in all three, no? So I think I'm playing well, for sure, and my opinion is that I am playing much better here than Australia.

Right now I am feeling like I am playing at my best level, so that's important for come to the clay season with more confidence, too. But at the same time, disappointing, because right now finish the hard season and then I'm playing better than before.

I think the last week help me a little bit with the big wins against Tsonga and Blake. After, I play very bad match in semifinals against Djokovic. Anyway, I play very good matches, and I come in this week with more confidence, no?

Q. In both these matches the past few weeks, at the end James' level seemed to go down. He looked like he wasn't feeling so confident anymore. Is that something that you notice on your side of net? When was the last time you felt so discouraged against a player at that stage of the match?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, sometimes happen, no? Well, the thing is it's strange. I don't know what he says before. I don't know what he says. But I think he was playing fine today. I think he was playing very good tennis.

After the third game or fourth game of third set he comes a little bit down. I have lucky with the break point net on the inside. But I think he goes a little bit down, no?

I have the same last week against Djokovic. I played, but it's a little bit different because I start playing bad and I finish playing worse. He start playing well, and he finish a little bit worse. But it was a tight match, not similar.

Q. Maybe the most important point of the match: Breakpoint, fourth game, third set. He hits an overhead right at you. Did you feint one way first to try to get behind you? Is that how you were able to retrieve the over head?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, it was in the third game. Yeah. I don't know. I just I have bad lob, I think, not very well. Anyway, I have lucky because I touch the ball here and the ball can goes anyplace.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the fact that you missed so many breakpoints today?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. Sometimes happen, no?

Q. But were you getting a bit crazy about it?

RAFAEL NADAL: The true is I didn't know. I know when I sit in the changeover of the first set. So that's the first time what I know that, no?

But I think he play well. He play good serves. I tried to play aggressive when I have the chance. This is the only way to win: Play aggressive, no? But, well, he serve very good points and I have some mistakes with the forehand in the return, but anyway, he played very well, the important points.

Q. Will you watch Berdych tonight?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know. It's at 9:00, no? I don't think so. I think we know each other, Berdych and Andreev, and he's not an unknown player. It's dinnertime.

Q. Should you reach the final, would you prefer to play Roger Federer and maybe get the chance to reverse the result of 2005 when you had a lead of two sets to Love and 41 and you lost the match? Would you prefer to play Federer because of that?

RAFAEL NADAL: I prefer to play the final.

Q. Yeah. But would you prefer Federer in the final if you get there?

RAFAEL NADAL: Ask me when I am in the final, when I come here after semifinals and if I am there, no?

ATP Tour ~ Rafa blasts into semis

Eurosport - Wed, 02 Apr 22:57:00 2008

World number two Rafael Nadal flexed his muscles to beat James Blake 3-6 6-3 6-1 and reach the semi-finals of the Miami Masters.

Nadal defeated his American rival for the first time in his career at the Indian Wells Masters quarter-finals two weeks ago and replicated the feat on Wednesday.

Blake made far too many mistakes during the one hour 55 minute contest, producing 31 unforced errors compared with just 13 for Nadal.

The American also offered Nadal 19 opportunities to break his serve -- with the triple French Open champion breaking four times in total.

Nadal turned the match in his favour when he broke Blake with a with a sizzling backhand passing shot to go 5-3 up in the second set.

He greeted the break with his trademark fist pump and from then on Blake's challenge faded away.

Nadal will play either world number 10 Tomas Berdych or Russia's Igor Andreev in the semis.

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Nadal v Blake 10th part of 11 parts Miami April 2, 2008

Quarter final Thanks to redrum008

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Nadal v. Blake 11th part of 11 parts Miami April 2, 08

Quarter final Thanks to redrum008

Rafael Nadal Photos in match with James Blake April 2, 2008 in Key Biscayne, Florida