{"id":7994,"date":"2013-08-09T00:44:47","date_gmt":"2013-08-09T00:44:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigeria-news\/tennis-murray-knocked-out-nadal-survives\/"},"modified":"2013-08-09T00:44:47","modified_gmt":"2013-08-09T00:44:47","slug":"tennis-murray-knocked-out-nadal-survives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/tennis-murray-knocked-out-nadal-survives\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennis: Murray knocked out, Nadal survives"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MONTREAL(AFP) – Wimbledon champion Andy Murray slumped to a shock 6-4, 6-3 to Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis in the Montreal Masters Thursday as Rafael Nadal subdued Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz 7-6 (8\/6), 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

Murray, who had won all five previous meetings with the colourful Gulbis, saw his 13-match winning streak ended.<\/p>\n

The world number two now heads to Cincinnati for a final chance to tune his hardcourt form ahead of his US Open title defence starting in New York on August 26.<\/p>\n

Gulbis went through in less than 90 minutes with three breaks of Murray, twice a champion in Canada. <\/p>\n

\"Andy <\/p>\n

Andy Murray: knocked out by Gulbis<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Gulbis, ranked 38 in the world, reached his third career quarter-final at the Masters 1000 level but first since Madrid in 2010 where he lost to Roger Federer.<\/p>\n

“I struggled at the start of the first set from the baseline, but then I got more aggressive and took my opportunities,” said Gulbis, who next faces either Juan Martin del Potro or Milos Raonic.<\/p>\n

“I started this year at 150 in the world, I was struggling. But slowly and surely I am getting to where I belong.<\/p>\n

“I want to crack the top 20. Then, one or two big wins and you are in the top 10.”<\/p>\n

Fourth seed Nadal, playing his first event in seven weeks since losing in the first round at Wimbledon to Belgian Steve Darcis, needed one and three-quarter hours to see off Polish 15th seed Janowicz, a Wimbledon semi-finalist.<\/p>\n

“I had a very good victory today against a very difficult opponent, I’m very happy,” said Nadal, winner of seven titles this season.<\/p>\n

“I did a few things well and there are a few things I need to improve a little bit more.<\/p>\n

“In general I’m pleased with the way I played, it’s a great victory for me, an important one.”<\/p>\n

The victory was a major contrast to Nadal’s opening match, where he lost just two games against Canada’s Jesse Levine.<\/p>\n

Nadal, the French Open champion and with seven titles in 2013, has now won 45 matches since his return in February from a seven-month injury lay-off.<\/p>\n

The Spaniard will square off on Friday against Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic, who needed two and a half hours to defeat Frenchman Benoit Paire, 7-6 (9\/7), 6-7 (10\/12), 6-3.<\/p>\n

The wildly inconsistent Paire produced 16 aces and a dozen double-faults while saving eight of 13 break points.<\/p>\n

Nadal’s ninth Canadian appearance featured a 68-minute opening set in which the fourth seed saved three set points in the 10th game to level at 5-5.<\/p>\n

He dropped serve a game later only to get it back to take the set into a tiebreaker.<\/p>\n

In the decider, Nadal recovered from 2-5 down and finally ended the duel on his second chance, a stunning overhead reverse backhand which landed at Janowicz’s feet and went through his legs thanks to massive spin.<\/p>\n

Nadal’s relief was short-lived with the Spaniard going down a break in the second set before finally squaring it at three games apiece.<\/p>\n

Nadal, the champion in Canada in 2005 and 2008, squeezed out victory on the first of two match points with his sixth ace.<\/p>\n

Top seed Novak Djokovic was involved in the night match, taking on Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n

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