ABU DHABI // Rafael Nadal believes throwing giant-killing David Goffin off his rhythm will be the key in Saturday’s Mubadala World Tennis Championship final as the Spaniard squares off against the Belgian in a competitive match for the first time.
Nadal, who had got his eighth MWTC campaign off with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Tomas Berdych on Thursday, came out strong against Milos Raonic in Friday’s semi-final as well, winning 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the final here for a fifth time.
“It is always great to start the match like that,” said the world No 9 and defending, three-time MWTC champion. “Against Berdych, it was a really impressive first set and a really impressive match overall. Today, it was a good match again – not as good as yesterday, but still it was a very match for me.
“I had a good chance in the second set to break at 15-40, but then I lost a bit of the intensity and he played good from the baseline. He started to serve huge, a lot of percentage of first serves and second, and it was tough for me.
“In the third, I started serving a bit better again and playing a little bit more aggressive. It was a great victory against the No 3 player of the world.”
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Now, Nadal will be hoping to make a similar start against an opponent who is blessed with really quick feet and is gradually adding a potent serve to his arsenal. Goffin is picking up some big-name scalps as well.
The 5’11” Belgian has been felling giants at his Abu Dhabi debut, first defeating the burly Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Thursday before shocking world No 1 Andy Murray in front of a sold-out crowd at the Zayed Sports City’s International Tennis Centre on Friday.
“I have never played in a tournament against him, but we practise together a lot,” said Nadal, who is playing his first tournament in more than two months after deciding to cut short his 2016 to treat a left wrist injury.
“We know each other really well. We practise together at almost every tournament. We have a good relationship. I know him and he knows me, but in competition, it is always different. This is the first match between us, and so it is going to be interesting.
“I know we are going to have a very, very tough match. He plays so quick and he plays so good, so we will see if I am able to put my rhythm on. Hopefully, I can change the direction and rhythm of the ball, then I will have a better chance. If not and he is playing comfortably, it will not be possible.”
Nadal and Goffin have been practising together in Abu Dhabi, as well, this week and the Belgian is impressed with the 14-time grand slam champion.
“Rafa looks really strong,” said Goffin, 26. “He looks really fit and I think he doesn’t have pain anymore in his wrist and all his body. I didn’t see a lot of his match against Berdych, but I heard he played really good.
“So I am sure it is going to be a good match against Rafa tomorrow.”
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SCORES
Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
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bt Hobart Hurricanes 140-7 in 20 overs
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
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The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
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Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
QUARTER-FINAL
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
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The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
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Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
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Conservative MPs who have publicly revealed sending letters of no confidence
- Steve Baker
- Peter Bone
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- Andrew Bridgen
- Maria Caulfield
- Simon Clarke
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- Nadine Dorries
- James Duddridge
- Mark Francois
- Chris Green
- Adam Holloway
- Andrea Jenkyns
- Anne-Marie Morris
- Sheryll Murray
- Jacob Rees-Mogg
- Laurence Robertson
- Lee Rowley
- Henry Smith
- Martin Vickers
- John Whittingdale
