Rafael Nadal, shown Monday at the French Open final, was a straight-set upset loser to Philipp Kohlschreiber in a quarterfinal match at the Gerry Weber Open in Germany. . UPI/David Silpa |
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HALLE, Germany, June 15 (UPI) -- World No. 2 Rafael Nadal was beaten and third-ranked Roger Federer needed a third-set tiebreaker to advance in Friday's play at the Gerry Weber Open in Germany.
Nadal was playing his second match in two days after his victory in the French Open title match Monday. The short turnaround time was complicated by the switch from the clay courts of Roland Garros to the grass courts in Halle, Germany, and drawing defending champion and local hero Philipp Kohlschreiber as a quarterfinal opponent.
Kohlschreiber, who entered the day 0-8 lifetime versus Nadal, beat the Spanish star 6-3, 6-4 behind eight aces. It was just Nadal's fifth loss of the year.
Kohlschreiber converted two of his eight break chances while Nadal went 0-for-3 in trying to break the German. Kohlschreiber won 75 percent of the points on serve.
Federer improved to 3-0 in his career against Milos Raonic but all have gone three sets and twice to a third-set tiebreaker. That was the case Friday before Federer emerged with a 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) win.
Raonic fired off 25 aces but suffered the only break of the day. However, he didn't even manage a break point versus Federer, who lost 17 points over 17 service games.
Federer next takes on Mikhail Youzhny, who stopped Radek Stepanek 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Federer is 12-0 lifetime against Youzhny, losing just three sets in the series.
Kohlschreiber's semifinal opponent will be fellow German Tommy Haas, who ousted third-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. Kohlschreiber and Haas are 1-1 against each other with the matches in 2008 and 2009 at the Gerry Weber.
