Nadal sweeps into China Open last four
Rafael Nadal got some fibre from a tennis ball lodged in his eye but that did not stop him from setting up a China Open semi-final with Grigor Dimitrov.
The Spaniard world No. 1 tamed American John Isner 6-4, 7-6 (7/0) yesterday to set up the clash with third-seeded Bulgarian Dimitrov, who overcame another Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-2.
Nadal, 31, a 16-time Grand Slam champion, appeared to suffer an eye problem during the second set.
"Something came to my eye, that's all," said Nadal, who is chasing a sixth title this year. "I think it was just a hair or something, a hair from the tennis ball. It was bothering me for a while."
In today's other men's semi-final, Australian Nick Kyrgios will face the No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany.
In the women's draw, Simona Halep edged closer to the WTA No. 1 spot held by Spaniard Garbine Muguruza after she eased past Russia's unseeded Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-1 in 69 minutes.
The Romanian will face Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko in today's last-four clash.
The other side of the draw will see Czech Petra Kvitova take on either Ukraine's Elina Svitolina or France's Caroline Garcia. - AFP
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