Youzhny Upsets No. 2 Nadal in Chennai

[January 07, 2008]  CHENNAI, India (AP) -- Rafael Nadal, fatigued from a nearly four-hour match the previous day, was routed by fourth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny 6-0, 6-1 Sunday in the final of the Chennai Open.

The 19th-ranked Youzhny clinched the fourth title of his career by shocking No. 2 Nadal, who managed to hold his service just once.

The 57-minute contest turned out to be a letdown for Nadal, who needed three hours, 54 minutes to overcome fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya in what was the longest three-set match on the ATP Tour in 15 years.

"Maybe I was a bit tired after the long semifinal, but I lost the final because Mikhail played very well," said Nadal, who hasn't won a title since July.

The error-prone Nadal saw his hopes of starting the year with a title vanish as the Russian hit winners from the baseline and executed deft drops. Nadal's only hold came in the second game of the second set.

"Rafa was not Rafa," Youzhny said. "I did not win today, it was Rafa who lost. I did not expect it to be so easy. I was lucky as he just couldn't move and couldn't play."

Nadal took a medical timeout during the second set, but said he had no fitness problem.

"I had no injury, just wanted the trainer's help in overcoming tiredness," he said. "I lost in the semifinal last year and have now played the final. Next year, I'll win the title here."

Youzhny defeated defending champion Xavier Malisse in the quarterfinals, and unseeded teenager Marin Cilic in the semifinals.

Nadal leads their head-to-head series 6-4.

[Associated Press; By JOHN ZENOR]

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