JEREZ, Spain — World Moto GP champion Casey Stoner won the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time Sunday after holding off Jorge Lorenzo in a close race.Wet weather had red flagged the preceding Moto2 race but held off with Stoner eventually passing pole sitter Lorenzo after having started fifth. The Yamaha rider — chasing his third straight Jerez Circuit victory — stayed on Stoner's back wheel over the final laps but failed to overtake the Australian.Stoner won the 27-lap race in 45 minutes, 33.897 seconds, beating his Spanish rival by one second."It was a very, very difficult race today but to hold on for the entire race in near enough to dry conditions was really a great day for me," Stoner said.
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Nadal tops Del Potro to hand title to Spain
SEVILLE, Spain — Rafael Nadal is a winner once again.
Right at home: Rafael Nadal celebrates winning a point against Juan Martin del Potro during their Davis Cup match on Sunday in Seville, Spain. Nadal won to give Spain the victory over Argentina. AP PHOTOThe second-ranked Nadal overcame a terrible start to beat Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (6-0) on Sunday to clinch Spain's third David Cup title in four years.Nadal's first title since winning his sixth French Open in June followed a run of below-par performances in which he acknowledged feeling less passionate about the sport as another long season took its toll. This victory gave Spain a 3-1 series lead, good enough for the country's fifth Davis Cup title overall.Nadal showed flashes of that poor end-of-season run, but eventually settled into his usual dominant groove on clay. Del Potro also committed 64 unforced errors as Nadal earned his 20th straight victory since debuting in the competition in 2004 with a loss."I've never had the chance to secure the winning point of a Davis Cup. In the end it came down to me," said Nadal, who ensured Argentina remained the only nation to play in four finals without a victory.Teammates Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco and captain Albert Costa were among those who enveloped Nadal after he dropped to the ground in celebration, while del Potro exited the arena in tears.It was the third Davis Cup trophy for Nadal, who secured a point in the win over the United States as a teenager at the same Olympic Stadium in the 2004 final."It's a special feeling since you're playing at home in the last event of the year and it's to win the Davis Cup and all of the emotion and happiness that comes with being on the court," said Nadal, who missed the quarterfinal win in the United States before returning in the semifinals against France. "It's going to be impossible to repeat."Not since the United States teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s has a country dominated the competition to such an extent."On home clay, they are probably one of the best teams in history," Argentina captain Tito Vazquez said after Spain stretched its record home winning streak to 21 series.While Nadal has come to rule on clay since 2005 — losing only seven matches on the surface since then — he endured his most lopsided set loss in the competition as del Potro hit forehand winners at will to break serve four straight times.Del Potro's pinpoint accuracy compounded Nadal's sluggish start and gave the visitors hope of becoming the first team since Australia 72 years ago to come back from a 2-0 deficit in the Davis Cup final.While del Potro struggled on serve throughout, the Argentine overpowered Nadal with a laser-like forehand that contributed to his 44 winners.But del Potro then started misfiring and Nadal found his rhythm to break back in the second game of the second set before finally holding serve."That was a very important moment," said Nadal, who routed Juan Monaco in his opening match. "After that game I felt like the match started for me."Nadal steadied thanks to his strong backhand and eventually smashed a forehand winner to secure the set and send nearly all 23,000 fans into wild celebrations."I've never played in front of such a crowd before," said Nadal, one of only seven players to have completed a career grand slam of major titles.
Right at home: Rafael Nadal celebrates winning a point against Juan Martin del Potro during their Davis Cup match on Sunday in Seville, Spain. Nadal won to give Spain the victory over Argentina. AP PHOTOThe second-ranked Nadal overcame a terrible start to beat Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (6-0) on Sunday to clinch Spain's third David Cup title in four years.Nadal's first title since winning his sixth French Open in June followed a run of below-par performances in which he acknowledged feeling less passionate about the sport as another long season took its toll. This victory gave Spain a 3-1 series lead, good enough for the country's fifth Davis Cup title overall.Nadal showed flashes of that poor end-of-season run, but eventually settled into his usual dominant groove on clay. Del Potro also committed 64 unforced errors as Nadal earned his 20th straight victory since debuting in the competition in 2004 with a loss."I've never had the chance to secure the winning point of a Davis Cup. In the end it came down to me," said Nadal, who ensured Argentina remained the only nation to play in four finals without a victory.Teammates Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco and captain Albert Costa were among those who enveloped Nadal after he dropped to the ground in celebration, while del Potro exited the arena in tears.It was the third Davis Cup trophy for Nadal, who secured a point in the win over the United States as a teenager at the same Olympic Stadium in the 2004 final."It's a special feeling since you're playing at home in the last event of the year and it's to win the Davis Cup and all of the emotion and happiness that comes with being on the court," said Nadal, who missed the quarterfinal win in the United States before returning in the semifinals against France. "It's going to be impossible to repeat."Not since the United States teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s has a country dominated the competition to such an extent."On home clay, they are probably one of the best teams in history," Argentina captain Tito Vazquez said after Spain stretched its record home winning streak to 21 series.While Nadal has come to rule on clay since 2005 — losing only seven matches on the surface since then — he endured his most lopsided set loss in the competition as del Potro hit forehand winners at will to break serve four straight times.Del Potro's pinpoint accuracy compounded Nadal's sluggish start and gave the visitors hope of becoming the first team since Australia 72 years ago to come back from a 2-0 deficit in the Davis Cup final.While del Potro struggled on serve throughout, the Argentine overpowered Nadal with a laser-like forehand that contributed to his 44 winners.But del Potro then started misfiring and Nadal found his rhythm to break back in the second game of the second set before finally holding serve."That was a very important moment," said Nadal, who routed Juan Monaco in his opening match. "After that game I felt like the match started for me."Nadal steadied thanks to his strong backhand and eventually smashed a forehand winner to secure the set and send nearly all 23,000 fans into wild celebrations."I've never played in front of such a crowd before," said Nadal, one of only seven players to have completed a career grand slam of major titles.Argentina beats Spain in doubles to stay alive in Davis Cup
SEVILLE, Spain — Argentina beat Spain in doubles to cut its Davis Cup final deficit to 2-1 on Saturday, although the South Americans will have to beat Rafael Nadal on his favorite clay surface to keep their chances of a maiden title alive.David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank, partnering for the first time, eased to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Spanish pair Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez.The South Americans broke five times and repelled each of the three they faced against their Spanish counterparts to extend the tie into Sunday. The visitors need to sweep reverse singles to become the first team in 72 years to rally from a 2-0 deficit."We played a great game. We're in very good shape, and the series is still alive," Nalbandian said. "Our hope is intact."But such an achievement appears difficult with Nadal, unbeaten on clay in the competition, opening for the four-time champions against Juan Martin del Potro. The 11th-ranked Del Potro has to bounce back from his exhausting near five-hour singles loss Friday and hand 10-time major champion Nadal his first loss on clay in 16 Davis Cup matches.Nadal and Ferrer are a combined 27-0 on clay for Spain, which hasn't lost a tie on clay since 1999."I'm not pessimistic. Tomorrow we have Nadal and Ferrer to win one point," said Spain captain Albert Costa, who expected Nalbandian to replace Juan Monaco should the final stretch to a fifth match. Nalbandian improved his cup record to 34-10.Lopez and Verdasco again failed to follow up an impressive sweep of the opening singles by Nadal and David Ferrer. They also lost in the semifinals against France in which they won only three games.The Argentine section of fans was boisterous throughout, with Nalbandian volleying home the winner to break Lopez's serve in the fifth game as the visitors served out the set.Nalbandian, playing for the first time since October, and Schwank were barely bothered after that as they got out to 4-0 advantage in the second set to take command of the match.In the third set, just when the Spanish pair managed to get the crowd of over 20,000 fired up with a break chance in the sixth game, Argentina saved two break opportunities before Schwank ended the suspense with a volley at the net to hold serve.Schwank served out the victory in just under two hours when Verdasco volleyed into the net."They made the effort to get here as best as possible so we can't complain," said Costa, who defended the decision not to use reserve Marcel Granollers after his pair's doubles record fell to 7-6. "The last two matches weren't their best ones but you have to think Davis Cup is a team and we are here because of them."MILAN, ITALY — Francesca Schiavone defeated both Venus and Serena Williams in singles on Saturday before they rallied to win the doubles in an exhibition in Milan.Schiavone topped Venus 7-5, 7-3, then countered a strong comeback from Serena to beat the younger sibling 7-3, 8-10, 8-6.Flavia Pennetta also beat Venus, whose strap broke on her dress before a sellout crowd of 11,000. Venus dashed off the court and returned in her third outfit of the event. She also brought popcorn to share with Pennetta, who won 7-6, 7-2.Serena defeated Pennetta 6-8, 7-3, 7-3 before the Williams sisters won the doubles 3-7, 8-6, 8-6.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Vettel holds off Hamilton in Spain
BARCELONA, Spain — Formula One leader Sebastian Vettel held off Lewis Hamilton to win the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, edging his closest championship contender to capture his fourth victory in five races this season.The Red Bull driver took the lead for good after the second round of pit stops to beat Hamilton by 0.6 seconds and widen his advantage atop the standings to 41 points over his McLaren rival.The German lost use of his KERS power boost and Hamilton tucked in behind him, but Vettel clung to the lead over the final dozen laps, becoming only the fifth winner in 21 races at the Catalunya Circuit who didn't start on the pole and the first in the last 11 races."A lot of people said today wouldn't be a race—that's why I'm even more happy we made it," Vettel said. "The last 10 laps I felt tires going away and I was praying. On top of that sometimes KERS on, sometimes KERS off. It wasn't an easy race."
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