Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal poses in front of a picture of the 2012 final of the Monte-Carlo tournament, in Monaco, yesterday. The 2013 ATP Masters Series Tournament of Monte Carlo will start from tomorrow and will end on April 21.
MONTE CARLO, Monaco: Novak Djokovic tested his damaged right ankle yesterday with a quick exhibition hit with Andy Murray in front of the famed Monte Carlo Casino before deciding to take a chance and play in the ATP Masters 1000 starting today.
The Serb world number one rolled his ankle last weekend as he led his nation into the Davis Cup semi-finals over the USA, then flew back to his Monte Carlo base for intensive rehab and treatment after a scan showed no ligament damage.
Djokovic takes the top seeding at the most picturesque venue in the sport as he heads the field with Murray second.
Missing from the non-obligatory event will be number three Roger Federer (pre-planned training break) and Spain’s David Ferrer (thigh injury).
Multiple champion and king of clay Rafael Nadal will be bidding for an unprecedented ninth straight title in the principality where he continually dominates.
The Spaniard ranked fifth and seeded third flew in after a three-week rest in the wake of his Indian Wells title last month, the climax to his comeback to tennis after a seven-month pause for knee injuries.
Meanwhile, defending champ Juan Monaco crushed Robby Ginepri 6-1, 6-0 in the quarter-finals yesterday of the US Clay Court Championships, setting up a re-match of last year’s final with John Isner.
Only this time Monaco and runner-up Isner will meet in the Houston semi-finals after Isner booked his spot with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Ricardas Berankis earlier in the day.
The third-seeded Monaco, of Argentina, needed just 56 minutes to dispatch American qualifier Ginepri in their first contest in five years. Monaco did not face a break point and broke Ginepri five times on the clay court at the River Oaks Country Club.
“From the beginning, I had a good feeling,” Monaco said. “I was serving well.
“Every game I got more confident. I played very well. Maybe Robby didn’t have a good day. I have great memories on this court.”
Monaco said he hopes to carry the momentum over from Friday’s win to the semis.
“John is a great player. I’ll have to play like today or even better tomorrow if I want to beat him. I have to be focussed. When I get the opportunity, I can’t miss it.”
The other semi will see top seed Nicolas Almagro battle 144th-ranked Rhyne Williams.
Almagro capitalized on all three break point chances as he beat seventh seed Paolo Lorenzi in straight sets.
Almagro, who has won all 12 of his ATP Tour titles on clay, rolled over the Italian 6-4, 6-4 in their centre court match.
The 27-year-old Spaniard Almagro blasted nine aces, had one double fault and won 75 percent of his first-serve points.
Lorenzi hammered five aces and had three double faults in the 81-minute centre court match.
Almagro next faces American wild card Williams, who reached his first-ever ATP semi-final by outlasting Spain’s Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 7-6 (7/1), 1-6, 6-4 in just under two and a half hours.
The 22-year-old Williams finished with five aces and won 58 percent of his second-serve points compared to just 39 percent for the Spaniard.
The fifth-seeded Isner blasted 19 aces and won 89 per cent of his first serve points to advance past the Lithuania’s Berankis, who beat second seed Tommy Haas in the previous round. AFP
