Nadal Rues Missed Opportunities

Rafael Nadal knows better than most that tennis is a game of fine margins. Although he suffered a three-set loss to Milos Raonic in the Brisbane International quarter-finals Friday night, it could easily have been a straight-sets result in the Spaniard’s favour.

After winning the first set 6-4, Nadal had two break chances in the fifth game of the second to go up a set and a break. But he was unable to convert either opportunity, or one additional chance in the third set, as Raonic powered home to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win, helped by 23 aces.

Nadal, who suffered just his second loss in eight career FedEx ATP head2Head meetings with Raonic, had been chasing his 70th tour-level title.

“Matches are decided by just a few things,” Nadal said. “Probably if I make that cross-court forehand passing shot, I would’ve had the break in the second set; there’s a big chance that we will be here [in the media interview room] one hour before with a victory, maybe 6-4, 6-3, or 6-4, 6-4. That’s tennis. That passing shot was long, and that’s it. Then he had the break and the match changes.

“Before he had the break in the second set, I think I was playing better than him. That’s my feeling. And I think that’s the real feeling. I was being better than him on court, and after that he was better than me… I had a big chance. I didn’t convert that chance. And then he was aggressive and he played well.

“He was a little bit better than me tonight. He deserved [to win], and congrats to him.”

Instead of meeting Grigor Dimitrov in Saturday’s Brisbane semi-finals, Nadal will head to Melbourne to prepare for the Australian Open still looking to break a hard-court title drought: Since winning the 2013 US Open, Nadal has won just one hard court title: Doha in the first week of the 2014 season.

Nadal gave little away when asked about his chances at the Australian Open, where he won the title in 2009, but last year lost an epic first-round battle with fellow Spanish lefty Fernando Verdasco.

“I feel that remain one week and a little bit more for the Australian Open start, so I really hope that I can be ready for it, and I’m gonna fight and to practise hard to make it happen. Then what’s gonna happen? I cannot predict, but anything is possible.”

Reflecting on his first visit to Brisbane, Nadal said: “I loved the atmosphere. I really just can say thank you very much to all the organisation of the tournament. Is unbelievable. People are so nice. Make me feel more than, better than like home, maybe.”