2008-05-07 23:20:09 -
ROME (AP) - Rafael Nadal's preparations for a run at a fourth straight French Open title were thrown into disarray Wednesday.
The second-ranked Spaniard lost on clay for only the second time in 105 matches, falling to countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-1 in the second round of the Rome Masters.
Moreover, Nadal has a large
blister on the bottom of his right foot _ and only four days to recover for next week's Hamburg Masters.
«Two Masters Series without playing best conditions on clay is going to kill me,» Nadal said. «The calendar is impossible. Last week when everyone was asking me how I feel about the calendar I said it was going to be impossible for me to play three weeks in a row. Finally they see now.
Nadal called for a trainer late in the second set to treat the blister, which began bothering him Sunday when he won the Barcelona Open. The week before, Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters.
«Today when I woke up, I said it was impossible to play,» Nadal said. «I spoke to the doctor today and yesterday, and they put special protection on it and cream, but it was still tough.
Ferrero said he, too, was not fully fit.
«I pulled out of Barcelona last week with a groin problem and I felt it again yesterday against Nicolas Kiefer,» Ferrero said. «Today they put a bandage and I could move well.
Nadal's last loss on clay came against top-ranked Roger Federer in the Hamburg Masters in May 2007. Before that, Nadal had won a record 81 consecutive matches on the slow, red surface, a streak that began in April 2005.
Nadal had never lost at the Foro Italico, winning the Rome tournament each of the previous three years. The 23rd-ranked Ferrero took the Rome title 2001, two years before he was the French Open champion.
The Rome Masters is an important clay-court warm-up tournament for Roland Garros, which begins May 25 with Nadal the three-time defending champion.
«I don't think it's going to change a lot. It's one week that he lost, and he will try again to play his level in Hamburg,» Ferrero said. «He has a lot of time to prepare for Roland Garros.
Nadal has tried talking to ATP president Etienne de Villiers about the crowded schedule, to no avail.
«He's impossible to understand,» Nadal said. «I'm just going home to rest and prepare for Hamburg.
Four other seeded players also were upset in the second round.
Coming off a loss to Nadal in the Barcelona final, fifth-seeded David Ferrer fell to Radek Stepanek 4-6, 6-2, 6-1; Spanish clay-court specialist Nicolas Almagro beat seventh-seeded David Nalbandian 6-4, 7-5; Igor Andreev defeated No. 13 Juan Monaco 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; and Stanislas Wawrinka upset No. 14 Andy Murray 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Murray received treatment for an apparent groin injury.
Third-ranked Novak Djokovic showed no signs of illness when he cruised past Steve Darcis 6-4, 6-0 in his opening match.
In Monte Carlo, Djokovic pulled out of his semifinal match against Federer after falling behind 6-3, 3-2. Tests afterward revealed he had strep throat.
«I finished with my medication yesterday,» Djokovic said. «So hopefully now I'll get better in the future.
Also Wednesday, fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko beat Croatian wild card Mario Ancic 6-2, 6-2; No. 8 James Blake held off Andreas Seppi of Italy 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-1; and No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez _ last year's finalist _ defeated Russian qualifier Evgeny Korolev 6-3, 6-2.
Ferrero connected on a cross-court backhand winner to break Nadal and win the first set, then broke again to take a 3-1 lead in the second when Nadal netted a forehand.
«I can't put the ball long, I can't put the foot on the floor, so every time the ball (went) short,» Nadal said.
With Ferrero ahead 4-1 in the second set, Nadal called for a trainer and had his foot re-taped.
After deciding to play on, he was broken again, then Ferrero served the match out at love.
Nadal routed Ferrero 6-4, 6-1 in the third round in Monte Carlo and had won all four of their previous meetings on clay.
«I tried to change some little things, keep the ball deep and finish the points,» Ferrero said.
Ferrero reached the top of the rankings in 2003, on the strength of his title at Roland Garros and runner-up finish at the U.S. Open. Hampered in part by a series of injuries, he has struggled in recent seasons, finishing outside the top 15 every year since 2003.
«It was a very important win for me,» Ferrero said. «I feel special right now, I haven't had this special feeling for a long time.
