RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Top-ranked Rafael Nadal survived a scare at the Rio Open on Saturday, fighting off two match points before defeating fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10) to advance to the final. Nadal will next face Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine, who upset second-seeded David Ferrer 6-4, 6-4 on Rios outdoor clay. Nadal has been almost unbeatable on clay in his career, compiling a 297-21 record, the best in the Open era. His last loss on the surface was 10 months ago against Novak Djokovic in the Monte Carlo Masters. But this was not his night as he needed nearly three hours to defeat Andujar. Nadal is returning from a back injury he sustained in the final of the Australian Open four weeks ago -- a match he lost to Stanislas Wawrinka. "I felt empty the whole match," he said. "It was very humid, and this was the toughest day of all. I just didnt feel that great physically, and Im not talking about the back. I just didnt feel that great. "It was close because he played well, and I didnt play my best," Nadal added. Nadal acknowledged his victory was lucky. "The tiebreak was a lottery," he said. "But I played better in the tiebreak than the rest of the match." Andujar had two match points in the third-set tiebreaker but couldnt convert either. "I played one of the best matches of my life," he said. "Maybe the best. But I had a great one across (the net) from me." Dolgopolov, who had beaten Ferrer only once in seven previous matches, won handily and didnt flinch. "I always have these type matches with him, and usually at the end he would beat me," the Ukrainian said. "I knew Id have to make those shots. If you dont win the points against him, he takes it away. Im really happy I didnt get tight and give away a lot of shots." Dolgopolov has won two previous ATP titles. Ferrer won the Copa Claro last weekend in Buenos Aires, his third consecutive title in that clay-court event. He has 21 ATP titles. In the womens tournament, top-seeded Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic and fifth-seeded Kurumi Nara of Japan will face off in the final. Zakopalova defeated local hope Teliana Pereira 6-2, 6-1, and Nara won over Nastassja Burnett of Italy 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Zakopalova will be aiming for her third WTA singles title. She won two in 2004, and has since been a losing finalist 11 times. This will be Naras first WTA singles final. "Im very surprised because its on a clay court," said Nara, a university student who prefers hard courts.
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Curley Culp Jersey . The Argentina international, who has scored 19 goals in 20 games for City this season, was hurt at the start of the second half in the 6-3 win over Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Drew Pomeranz may have found his niche as a starting pitcher. Pomeranz won his third consecutive start since moving from the bullpen into the rotation, Coco Crisp drove in two runs before departing with an injury, and the surging Oakland Athletics beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-0 on Tuesday night. Pomeranz (4-1) allowed three hits, two walks and had three strikeouts over five innings. He has not given up a run in his three starts, all of which lasted five innings. "My three starts have been a great team effort," Pomeranz said. "We scored a lot of runs and the bullpen shut them down." Sean Doolittle, the third Oakland reliever, pitched the ninth for his third save and complete a four-hitter. After the game, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said there is a good chance Doolittle will take over the closers role. "Its pretty cool," Doolittle said. Doolittle did see his streak of 30 straight appearances without allowing a walk end when Ryan Hanigan drew one with two outs in the ninth. Former Baltimore closer Jim Johnson, acquired by Oakland from the Orioles in December, has allowed seven runs in 4 1-3 innings over his past six appearances. Crisp hit a two-run double and John Jaso had an RBI single off Jake Odorizzi (2-4) as Oakland took a 3-0 lead in the second. The AL West-leading Athletics have won 10 of 11, outscoring their opponents 74-18 over the stretch. "You dont do that by swinging at bad pitches," Odorizzi said. Crisp was replaced defensively by Craig Gentry in the bottom of the sixth because of neck soreness. He had started four straight games after missing seven with a neck strain. Melvin expects Crisp to sit out Wednesday nights game. Odorizzi gave up three runs, four hits, five walks aand struck out eight in 4 2-3 innings.dddddddddddd The Rays (19-27) are eight games under .500 for the first time since the end of the 2007 season (66-96), which was their final season as the Devil Rays. "Never say it cant get any worse because whenever you utter those words, youre going to find it out," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "Im looking more for the turning point. You never know how close you are to turning negative momentum to positive." Pomeranz worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third by getting a double play grounder from Desmond Jennings on a 3-2 pitch. Jennings also hit into an inning-ending double play with two on in the eighth. "Those double pays are huge," Pomeranz said. Maddon challenged the very close out call on Jennings at first base in the third, which the umpires ruled would stand after a review that took 1 minute, 23 seconds. NOTES: Oakland SS Jed Lowrie, who left Sundays game at Cleveland in the second because of a strained neck, was out of the starting lineup. ... Rays RHP Alex Cobb (strained left oblique) will rejoin the rotation Thursday. ... Athletics 2B Eric Sogard, removed Sunday in the eighth after fouling a ball off his knee, played. ... Hanigan (sore right hamstring) was a defensive replacement in the ninth. ... Oakland RHP Ryan Cook (strained right forearm) has been cleared to resume playing catch. ... Athletics LHP Eric OFlaherty (elbow ligament replacement surgery) threw 30 pitches in batting practice and will next throw in a simulated game. ... Oakland C Derek Norris walked three times, including one on a 14-pitch at-bat in the fourth. ... Oakland LHP Tommy Milone (1-3) and Tampa Bay LHP Erik Bedard (2-1) are Wednesday nights scheduled starters.
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