Skip to main content

2 years later, Nadal gets past Rosol at Wimbledon

By WTOP Staff

HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Tennis Writer

LONDON (AP) — Uncle Toni’s reaction said it all.

This one meant a lot to him and to the tennis player he coaches, his No. 1-ranked nephew Rafael Nadal, who was in a tough spot Thursday, one point from trailing two sets to none against the same guy he lost to — in the same stadium, same round — two years ago at Wimbledon.

As the younger Nadal began turning things around, evening the match at a set apiece on his opponent’s double-fault, the older Nadal dispensed with any sense of decorum, leaping out his Centre Court seat, punching the air, and shouting “Vamos!”

From there, the ultimate result quickly became apparent. Nadal came back to beat 52nd-ranked Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-4, returning to the third round at the All England Club for the first time since 2011.

“I didn’t want to lose another time against a guy like this,” Toni Nadal said. “I don’t like to lose against a player I find (unprofessional).”

In 2012’s second round, Rosol was ranked 100th, and Nadal was on a streak of having reached the final in five consecutive Wimbledon appearances. The big-swinging, 6-foot-5 (1.96-meter) Rosol played an unrepentantly risky style that day, aiming for lines and putting shots where he wanted, pulling off a five-set victory.

Rosol engaged in some gamesmanship then, including moving around while waiting to receive serves and, Toni said Thursday, making noise as Rafael was hitting shots. After the rematch, Rosol complained Nadal took too much time between points and lamented that the chair umpire didn’t intervene.

Said Toni about Rosol: “It’s normal that we want to win, but it’s true that for me, it’s worse to lose with him than with another guy.”

Rafael, for his part, said he wasn’t thinking about two years ago. Still, for nearly two full sets, it was hard not to recall that match because Rosol played similarly, hitting hard, flat strokes that didn’t miss. When Rosol broke for a 3-2 lead in the second set with a cross-court backhand, he had a 24-9 edge in winners.

Nadal broke back to 4-all, whirling around and throwing a celebratory uppercut, but again was in trouble at 6-5 in the tiebreaker. On that set point, Nadal whipped a winner he called “a perfect forehand for that moment” to get to 6-all. Two points later, Rosol plopped a second serve into the net for a double-fault that ceded the set, and said later: “In the end, he was more lucky.”

Nadal probably would not agree with that assessment. He did agree about the significance of that sequence.

“The difference maybe is one point,” said Nadal, who collected two of his 14 Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon but exited in the first round last year. “Maybe if I lose that set point in the second set — if that forehand down the line went out — maybe (I) will be here with a loss.”

Instead, he raised the level of his play. He won 22 consecutive points on his serve, and moved better, bending so low his knee touched the grass on backhands. Nadal broke for a 2-1 lead in the third set, and again for a 1-0 lead in the fourth.

“If I had played the first set the way I did the last two, I would have won it, too, I think,” Nadal said.

Three seeded men lost, including No. 13 Richard Gasquet, who wasted nine match points and was beaten by 19-year-old Nick Kyrgios of Australia 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-5, 10-8. Winners included No. 5 Stan Wawrinka, No. 8 Milos Raonic, No. 9 John Isner and No. 10 Kei Nishikori among the men, and past champions Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova among the women.

Nadal’s longtime rival, seven-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, turned in a far more straightforward performance, delivering 25 aces in a 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 win over 103rd-ranked Gilles Muller of Luxembourg to get back to the third round, too.

Federer’s streak of 36 consecutive major quarterfinals ended at the All England Club with a second-round defeat last year, part of a tumultuous and unpredictable tournament. This year has gone more to form, so far.

“For the most part, the locker room I’m in, it still seems pretty full — where all the seeded players are,” Isner said. “It’s good to see. It’s good for the tournament to have all the big names, especially the top four, still alive.”

___

Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote