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ROME: French Open champion Rafael Nadal lost for the first time ever
here as he was beaten 7-5, 6-1 in the second round of the Rome
Masters by Juan Carlos Ferrero on Wednesday.
It was also the world No. 2’s first defeat on
clay since losing the Hamburg final to Roger Federer just under a
year ago.
The Spanish clay king, bidding for his fourth
straight title in Rome, was clearly hampered by blisters on his
right foot in the second set, and former world’s No. 1 Ferrero
showed a ruthless streak in dismissing the second seed.
It was Ferrero’s first win on clay against
Nadal and only his second victory in eight meetings, avenging a
defeat by an almost identical score at Monte Carlo last month.
Serbia’s Australian Open champion Novak
Djokovic beat Belgian Steve Darcis, 6-4, 6-0.
-- AFP
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