‘Opportunity lost’ for injured Nadal
• An injured and visibly struggling Rafael Nadal retired while trailing in the fifth set of his Australian Open quarter- final match against Marin Cilic.
Top- ranked Nadal fended off five break points in the last game before Cilic broke his serve, then the 16- time major winner went to shake hands with the umpire and his opponent, and angrily hurled his headband into his equipment bag.
No. 6- seeded Cilic advanced to his first semifinal in Australia since 2010 with a score of 3- 6, 6- 3, 6-7 ( 5), 6-2, 2- 0, retired.
Cilic, the 2014 U. S. Open champion, will next play No. 49-ranked Kyle Edmund, who beat No. 3-ranked Grigor Dimitrov 6- 4, 3- 6, 6-3, 6- 4 to reach a grand slam semifinal for the first time.
Nadal limped into a news conference about a half-hour later, still wincing when he stepped up onto a platform. He said he felt muscle pain in his upper right leg in the third set but played through it. In the fourth set, chasing a drop shot, he felt the pain get worse.
“Tough moments — not (for) the first time here,” Nadal said. “I’m a positive person, but today is an opportunity lost to be in a semifinal for a grand slam and fight for an important title for me.
“It’s really tough to accept.”
O tt aw a ’s Gabriela Dabrowski and China’s Xu Yifan dropped a 0- 6, 6-1, 7- 6 (2) decision to Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in women’s doubles quarter-final play.
However, Dabrowski won her second- round mixed doubles match, t eaming with Croatia’s Mate Pavic for a 6-1, 6-3 win over Dutch duo Jean- Julien Rojer and Demi Schuurs.
Nadal said he’d have medi cal scans Wednesday to determine the location and extent of the injury, which he could only describe as high on his leg but not in the hip.
“Unbelievable performance from both of us and really unfortunate for Rafa,” Cilic said. “He always gives his best … it’s very unfortunate for him to finish this way.”
Elise Mertens is facing a similar experience.
Mertens upset f ourthseeded Elina Svitolina 6- 4, 6- 0 to extend her winning streak to 10 matches, becoming the first Belgian since Kim Clijsters in 2012 to reach the Australian Open semifinals. In the semis, she’ ll play second- seeded Caroline Wozniacki.