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1/6/12 6:02 PM | Ricky Dimon
Gael Monfils takes out Rafael Nadal in straight sets on Friday in Doha. Monfils will go up against fellow Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for the title.
Gael Monfils is 0-8 lifetime against Rafael Nadal outside of Doha. At the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, though, Monfils is now 2-0 against the Spaniard.
Monfils, who beat Nadal in the quarterfinals of this event three years ago, prevailed 6-3, 6-4 during semifinal action on Friday evening. The Frenchman stormed back from a 3-0 deficit in the second set to advance after one hour and 35 minutes of play.
Coming off a near-flawless quarterfinal performance in which he dismantled Viktor Troicki, Monfils wasted no time maintaining his momentum. Nadal led 40-15 serving at 2-3, but Monfils won four points in a row for the break--punctuating it with a powerful forehand winner. The world No. 16 had no trouble serving it out from there, as he dropped a mere seven points in five service games.
Nadal showed signs of turning the tide in set two, racing to a 3-0 advantage. The top seed held his first two service games with ease and broke in the second game when Monfils struck an errant backhand.
Missed chances on his opponent's serve proved to be Nadal's undoing in the end. Monfils saved one break point in the fourth game with a clutch first serve to keep himself within striking distance. Doha's No. 4 seed then regained the break at 2-4 with another huge forehand. Even after Nadal gave away one more break at 4-4 (to love), he had a chance to stay alive. The world No. 2 fought off two match points to force deuce in the final game, but Monfils took the last two points with a forehand to win an incredible rally followed by a backhand error off Nadal's racket.
Monfils wrapped up another stellar showing with four aces and he served at 76 percent. He also converted all three of his break-point chances. Nadal put in 72 percent of his first serves but he won only 43 percent of his second-serve points.
Saturday's title match will pit Monfils against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in an all-French showdown.
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Rafa wasn't bad either but to me he had lost his killer instinct. What's with all the break points chances that he played so tentatively these days? Contrast that to pre 2011 when he would have step it up and be ruthless enough to go for the kill, right now he prefers to play it save. Also what's with his ability to hold serve when he was break point down? In the past he could rely on his clutch serving to serve himself out of troubles, right now I'm worried each time he faces break point. Chances of him holding serve when facing break points are as bad as his chances of breaking serves! Monfils was 3 for 3 in his break points conversion, 100%! Just imagine pre 2011, Rafa was calling himself 'break points saved' expert, in one of his post match press conference!
It was from that USO 2010 onwards that I noticed Rafa's poor break points conversion. He had 20 over break point chances at that USO final but converted only a few; he had 20 over break point chances at the Bangkok SF the same year and yet he lost bizarrely to GGL. What happened to him? Trying to take the ball early and it backfired? Playing too tentatively when having break point chances, preferring to play one more ball and hope for his opponent to make an error rather than take the initiative to go for the kill?
I feel that Rafa had lost his killer instinct this past year, having lost some faith in his own game. His being tentative rather than being aggressive right from the start of the match had given him so much troubles when facing opponents whom he 'feared' or had too much respect for, typical examples, when facing Delpo at IW and Nole at Madrid. Both times had he being aggressive right from the start, he won't be facing a 4-0 deficit and had to give chase both times. He would not have sent out a message to his opponents that he was nervous and they would not be capitalizing on his nervousness. He clearly has the ability to be aggresssive and the game to trouble most players, like he did at the USO 2010, adds in his new improved net approaches and volleying, what's missing is his mindset, and that killer instinct.
luckystar , 1/7/12 3:38 AM
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That was Monfils at his best, he is a serious contender for majors if he maintains this level. Rafa wasnt bad either, excellent tennis from both men
tennismania , 1/6/12 6:23 PM