Rafael Nadal Loses in Madrid, Suggests He Will Skip Madrid Next Year

Written by: Staff on 11th May 2012

Rafael Nadal Loses in Madrid, Suggests He Will Skip Madrid Next Year

epa03213815 Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal during a post match press conference held after being defeated by countryman Fernando Verdasco in their Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament round of 16 match at Caja Magica pavilion in Madrid, central Spain, 10 May 2012. Verdasco won in three sets. EPA/JAVIER LIZON |

Irate Rafael Nadal has vowed never to play Madrid again the blue clay courts he detests remain in place. The Spaniard reached his mental limit as he lost to compatriot Fernando Verdasco while holding a 5-2 lead in the third set on the controversial surface.

With Nadal out in the third round, one of the earliest of his clay defeats, echoes of the loss are reverberating around the Caja Magica. Top seed Novak Djokovic won his way into the quarter-finals but pledged his support to Nadal’s proposed 2013 boycott.

Roger Federer said nothing but just kept on winning as he crushed Richard Gasquet.

“The ATP and the tournament can do what they want,” said Nadal. “I tried my best, I’ve trained since Thursday. I was as prepared as I could be.

“I was not good enough to adapt my game to this court. If things continue like this, it will be very sad. Next year this will be one less event for my calendar.”

The Spaniard blamed the surface for his letdown, which could have been predicted for weeks after his moaning about the surface all during the spring. “I never was in control of the match, I didn’t know how to win a point.

“Movement is very important for me and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t hit ball the way I wanted. I lost because I deserved to lose.”

Topics: 10sballs.com, Fernando Verdasco, Mutua Madrid Open 2012, Nadal loses in blue clay, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Rafael Nadal pierde, Spanish tennis news, Sports, tenis de españa, tenis news