Nadal clinches medal by beating Djokovic
Posted August 14, 2008 11:00 pm
BEIJING -- Rafael Nadal has clinched at least a silver medal by beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 in the Olympic semifinals.
Nadal's opponent in the final Sunday will be Fernando Gonzalez of Chile, who beat James Blake of the United States earlier Friday. Djokovic can still win a bronze.
The medal will be the first for Nadal, who came to Beijing assured of earning the No. 1 ranking for the first time next week, ending Roger Federer's 4ˆ½-year reign.
Nadal closed out his latest victory in dramatic fashion. On match point he scrambled to retrieve two overhead slams by Djokovic. When the flustered Serb shanked a third overhead, Nadal collapsed to the hard court in jubilation.
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