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Home  » Sports » Nadal, Henin lose in Miami

Nadal, Henin lose in Miami

March 25, 2006 10:04 IST
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Spain's Rafael Nadal and Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium were sent packing from the Nasdaq-100 Open on Friday.

Carlos Moya won the 'battle of Mallorca', defeating world number two Nadal 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the second round of the men's event.

In the women's competition, third seed Henin-Hardenne was eliminated 7-5, 6-4 by American Meghann Shaughnessy.

The 29-year-old Moya gave a masterful display against French Open champion Nadal, who was beaten by Roger Federer in last year's final here.

Nadal saved two match points against his fellow Spaniard before he lost his serve for the fifth time in the contest to send Moya through.

The 19-year-old Nadal was playing in his fourth tournament since recovering from an ankle injury.

Six-times champion Andre Agassi withdrew with a chronic back injury before his opening match against Belgium's Christophe Rochus.

"It's been the same story for a little while," the 35-year-old American told reporters.

"There are a couple of good days followed by a series of difficult ones. It has been frustrating and exhausting, this whole process of trying to push myself through just a few events this year."

FISH OUT

Two men's seeds advanced to the third round, number five Nikolay Davydenko of Russia defeating American Mardy Fish 6-4, 7-5 and number six Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia overcoming Czech Robin Vik 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.

Henin-Hardenne, who had won all three of her previous meetings with Shaughnessy, suffered only her third defeat of the season on Friday.

"She played really well and I wasn't at my best," said the Belgian.

"I lacked a little bit of confidence, I played more neutral rather than going for the winners. It's not easy to lose that way and not easy to accept but that's the way it is."

Henin-Hardenne, the Australian Open runner-up, had her serve broken seven times and committed 27 unforced errors against Shaughnessy, who next plays Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden.

Women's world number one Amelie Mauresmo needed only 44 minutes to power past Australian Samantha Stosur 6-0, 6-0.

The Frenchwoman was in imperious form and faced only one break point.

There were also victories for fifth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova, 2004 US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and 13th-seeded Slovak Daniela Hantuchova.

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Source: REUTERS
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