Nadal improves to 25-0 at French Open

[June 02, 2008]  PARIS (AP) -- When an inconsequential point went against Rafael Nadal during his most recent French Open victory, he gave his opponent a how-dare-you glare, then resumed the rout.

It's easy to understand why Nadal would expect everything to go his way at Roland Garros, because it usually does. On Sunday the three-time defending champion returned to the quarterfinals by beating fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-0, 6-2.

"I wish all my matches were like this one," Nadal said.

The win was his most lopsided yet at Roland Garros, where he's 25-0. He had lost at least six games in each previous match.

Seeded second behind Roger Federer, Nadal is bidding to become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1981 to win a fourth consecutive French Open title. On Tuesday -- Nadal's 22nd birthday -- he'll play yet another Spaniard, childhood chum Nicolas Almagro, who beat Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (0), 7-6 (7), 7-5.

"If I win, it's going to be a beautiful birthday present," Nadal said. "And if it's not, well, too bad."

Almagro, seeded 19th, is making his first appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal. When he had completed his fourth-round victory, he turned to his family and friends in the stands and moved his hand from front to back across his hair, as though holding clippers.

"That was a bet that I had with my team. So now I won," he said. "I'm going to shave their heads. I'll use the razor. ... I don't know how my father is going to react when I shave his head. I won't do that to my mother."

Also renewing a friendly rivalry Tuesday will be No. 3-seeded Novak Djokovic and 19-year-old Ernests Gulbis. They shared adventures on and off the court a few years ago at coach Niki Pilic's tennis academy in Munich, Germany.

"He was destroying me in practices. I couldn't win a match. Practice? No chance," Djokovic said. Jokingly he added: "So all the pressure's on him, OK? He's the favorite."

Actually, Gulbis will be an underdog playing in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal. He advanced by beating Michael Llodra 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3, while Djokovic swept No. 18 Paul Henri-Mathieu 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

In the women's quarterfinals, No. 2-seeded Ana Ivanovic will play No. 10 Patty Schnyder, and No. 3 Jelena Jankovic will face 19-year-old qualifier Carla Suarez Navarro.

Fourth-round matches scheduled Monday included Federer against Frenchman Julien Benneteau, and top-ranked Maria Sharapova against No. 13-seeded Dinara Safina.

Almagro lost his two previous tour matches against Nadal, but it has been more than two years since they last played. They competed against each a lot growing up and shared a rooting interest in the Real Madrid soccer team.

"He is a model for me," Almagro said. "He is a great friend; might change on Tuesday."

Nadal said he expects his toughest match yet in the tournament, because he ranks Almagro in the top five among clay-court players.

But Nadal's in a league of his own on the surface, as he reminded Verdasco. Nadal feasted on a weak second serve by Verdasco, who lost nine of his 10 service games and dropped 10 consecutive games during one stretch.

"It wasn't a good day for him," Nadal said.

For Nadal, the biggest scare was a bout of dizziness during warmups following a rain delay early in the second set. After he received a visit from a trainer and doctor, bread and bananas solved the problem.

Foot blisters that have bothered Nadal in recent weeks weren't a factor, he said.

He has dropped only seven sets in four years at Roland Garros and has yet to be pushed to five sets. Through four rounds in 2008 he has lost only 22 games and no sets, beating a fellow left-hander each time.

Does Nadal feel invincible? He said no.

"I feel when I go on court I can lose every day," he said, "and I feel I have to play my best tennis if I want to continue winning."

He'll even glare if necessary.

[Associated Press; By STEVEN WINE]

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