Efficient Nadal brings an end to Nieminen's Melbourne campaign

Rafael Nadal

print this

Jarkko Nieminen’s splendid run at the Australian Open - the tennis season’s first Grand Slam event - came to an end in the quarter-finals, when he succumbed to 2nd seed Rafael Nadal of Spain, who won 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 in two hours and twenty minutes.
      The result was by no means unexpected - Nadal is the world No.2 and holds hopes of unseating Switzerland’s Roger Federer from the top spot that Federer has held for more than 130 weeks.
     
In the battle of the two left-handers in the showcase Rod Laver Arena, Nieminen had a chance in the tight first set to rattle Nadal’s cage, but was unable to follow through.
      He held three break-points against the Nadal service, and even two set-points as Nadal served at 4-5 and 15-40.
      Nadal came through that examination with flying colours and went on to break Nieminen in the next game with the only break-point his opponent offered him. He then served out for 7-5 and the set.
     
Thereafter, things became rather more straightforward for the Spaniard, although Nieminen did manage to break him in the second set, but Nadal was by this stage getting to grips with Nieminen’s service and he broke the Finn three times to take it 6-3.
      The world No.2 then cruised through the third set in commanding fashion, winning it 6-1 in a little over half an hour. Nieminen did put himself into a position to pressurise the Nadal service, but four more break-points went begging, while Nadal showed greater concentration and converted on both of the opportunities he created.
     
Nadal did not demonstrate the imperious serving he had shown in the 4th round against Paul-Henri Mathieu, but nevertheless his winning percentage on his first service was enough to keep him in the points.
      As the paragraphs above should also suggest, Nadal was clinically efficient at the moments when it was needed, converting six out of nine break opportunities, while Nieminen could only make one out of eight.
      This was the fourth time the two men have met on court, and Nadal preserved his perfect record. Nadal has not dropped a single set in this tournament so far, so Nieminen may feel a little disappointed not to have grabbed his chance of taking the opener.
     
Nieminen certainly did not seem overawed by the occasion. He came out swinging and played positively in the opening set, but although he showed nice touches with his backhand, he did not have the consistency to sustain the pressure on a player who seems to be coming to the top of his game.
      Nadal was not given the toughest of draws in the Australian Open this year, and there are those who fancy this may be his best shot yet at challenging the dominance of Federer on anything but clay.
     
Nadal will now meet either 14th seed Mikhail Youzhny or the refreshing newcomer, the unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, for a place in the final.
      Youzhny has very pleasant memories of his last encounter with Nadal: he thrashed him in the final in Chennai just a few weeks ago. If Tsonga overcomes Youzhny, however, he will also provide the 2nd seed with a stern test, as he has nothing to lose and is clearly playing far above his current world ranking of 38th.
      Tsonga has already despatched the 9th seed Andy Murray and fellow Frenchman Richard Gasquet , seeded 8th.
     
For Jarkko Nieminen, the January trip down under was a resounding success.
      He reached the final in Adelaide, losing in the end to Michael Llodra of France, then had a bit of a blip when going out to Xavier Malisse in the first round in Auckland (though Malisse is a dangerous player returning after injury), and he then won four matches in Melbourne to reach the third Grand Slam quarter-final of his career.
      A place in the last eight at the Australian Open is worth 250 ATP points and just over USD 160,000.
      This is not bad work for an infantryman conscript. Nieminen is still doing his military service, and doubtless the Finnish Defence Forces will be equally well pleased with the positive publicity his recent performances have generated.
      Nieminen also gave a nod in their direction, saying that whilst his physical condition has always been good, he believes he has become mentally stronger for the army experience.
     
Certainly mental toughness was in evidence in Nieminen’s 4th round win over Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany: the Finn saved no fewer than eleven set-points on his way to victory.
      Success of this nature has come at a critical time for the Finnish No.1, who did not enjoy the best of seasons in 2007. Over the year his ATP rank slipped from 17th to 27th before an October defeat to Roger Federer in the final in Basel pulled him back up a little.
      A running start to 2008 promises better things and we wish him well for the rest of the season.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Composure under fire - Jarkko Nieminen sees off Kohlschreiber and enters Australian Open last eight (21.1.2008)

Links:
  Australian Open: Jarkko Nieminen

Helsingin Sanomat