• ATP Tour

Nadal rues failure to fire in Montreal

ESPN staff
August 11, 2011
Rafael Nadal was beaten by Ivan Dodig in Montreal © Getty Images
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Former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal was left scratching his head after he was surprisingly dumped out of the Rogers Cup at the second round stage.

Nadal looked to be on course for a routine win after taking the opening set against Ivan Dodig, but was unable to crack the Croat's big serve as he went down 1-6 7-6(5) 7-6(5) in a three-hour marathon in Montreal.

Nadal, who has not played since his Wimbledon final defeat to Novak Djokovic - the Serb subsequently usurping the Spaniard as world No. 1 - was bewildered by his failure to see off world No. 41 Dodig, despite holding a 5-3 lead in the decider.

"Honestly, I didn't feel I played bad but I can't say I played well. In the decisive moments, I didn't play well, that's the truth," Nadal admitted.

"I had to close the match with the 5-3 [lead] in the third set. I had to close that match probably in the second when I was playing very well, 6-1, 3-1, playing a very high level of tennis. He didn't feel the pressure in the important moments. And at the end of the match, probably I was a little bit unlucky today, no?

"I felt I played enough well to win that match. But that's tennis. The only thing I can do is congratulate the opponent and keep working for Cincinnati."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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