The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Race for No. 1 tightens as Nadal wins

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Tuesday, Jul 29, 2008
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Race for No. 1 tightens as Nadal wins

TORONTO: Rafael Nadal lifted Spanish hopes of a dramatic change at the top of world tennis with his Toronto Masters victory on Sunday.

World No. 2 Nadal defeated German Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 6-2, tightening the race for the No. 1 ranking still owned by Roger Federer.

With his 29th consecutive victory — his last loss came against compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second round of the Rome Masters — the Spanish World No. 2 climbed to within 300 points of Federer, who crashed out in his opening match.

The Spanish phenomenon has now claimed 30 career titles, making him the third-youngest in the game after Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors to achieve that feat.

Nadal’s victory marked his second trophy in Canada after taking the title in Montreal three years ago. He has now won his last five events, including Queen’s and Wimbledon on grass. He has seven titles in 2008 and 61 match wins against seven losses.

Federer has held the top spot for more than four years and could be deposed in Cincinnati should he lose his opening match at the Masters event and Nadal went on to lift the trophy.

In Los Angeles, Dinara Safina won her first title on U.S. soil with a clinical 6-4, 6-2 destruction of Flavia Pennetta in the East West Bank Classic on Sunday.

The results (all finals):

At Toronto (Toronto Masters): Singles: Rafael Nadal bt Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 6-2. At Los Angeles (East West Bank Classic): Dinara Safina bt Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 6-2.

At Portoroz (Slovenia Open): Sara Errani bt Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3, 6-3. — Agencies

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