Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
London, Rafael Nadal ended a seven-match losing streak against Novak Djokovic in emphatic fashion by thrashing the world No. 2 6-2 6-4 to reach the final of the Madrid Open and move within a step of a third consecutive clay-court title.
The Spaniard and four-time winner in Madrid got off to a dream start in the 50th meeting between the two great rivals, winning every point in the first game to break Djokovic, with the home crowd wildly celebrating his first point — a potent return which the Serbian could only hit into the ground.
Djokovic surrendered his serve again in the third game, and Nadal held to go 4-0 up.
Real Madrid great Raul and all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo were among those watching in the stands. The Spaniard finished off the first set in 40 minutes and again broke the struggling Djokovic in the opening game of the second. The world No. 2 broke back in the fourth to tie the set at 2-2 and celebrated by punching the air. It proved to be just a brief respite for the Serbian, however, as Nadal broke him again in the next game and held to restore his two-game lead. He missed two match points on his serve and then had to save a break point before taking the contest at the third time of asking to reach the Madrid final for the eighth time.
