Rafael Nadal looked a pale imitation of last year's all-conquering Wimbledon champion and world No 1 as he was dispatched from the Rogers Cup in Montreal by Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro, but the Majorcan argued that the 7-6, 6-1 quarter-final defeat represented his best performance so far on his comeback from injuries to both knees.
Despite the impending surrender of his world No 2 ranking to Britain's Andy Murray, Nadal appeared unperturbed as he travelled to Cincinnati yesterday for his next tournament, claiming that he was preoccupied with his health above all else.
He found that his powerful back-of-the-court game was unpicked easily by the equally muscular Del Potro, as he narrowly lost the opening tie-break 7-5 before being broken three times in the second.
Nadal was playing his first event since the tendinitis in his knees forced him to pull out of his Wimbledon title defence, and he had few qualms about his hardcourt form ahead of this month's US Open, the one Slam he has yet to win.
"I am very happy with the way I played the first set - it was my best level after the injury," he said. "After two months out of competition it's tough to play at that level; I needed to concentrate more than usual."
Indeed, Nadal had an opportunity for four set points when 5-2 up in the tie-break, before Del Potro reversed the momentum with the crispest drop shot. "I had a big chance to win, so that is positive for me. And the knees are very good. I have to be happy with the tournament. Del Potro is playing very well and I was at the same level as him in the first set. I though if I could win the first I could relax a little in the second and try again in the third, but it was tough."
The agility of Nadal's play, though, was conspicuous by its absence, and he could have been exposed by Del Potro earlier when the long-limbed Argentine, leading 5-4 in the first, pitched a backhand into the net. To stress the gap he had still to bridge to rediscover his top level, Nadal lost the final point when a two-handed forehand, normally his most reliable shot, skewed wide. Asked if the 'A'-game was likely to be back in evidence in time for Flushing Meadows, he replied: "We'll see."
This season Federer has snatched away both Nadal's Wimbledon crown and his status world No 1, but the Swiss could not go one better in Montreal as he, too, was unexpectedly beaten. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France's seventh seed, proved a roadblock to the semi-finals as he prevailed 7-6, 1-6, 7-6.
Besides the unusual spectacle of Federer being vanquished by an opponent ranked below him, there was the even rarer sight of him choking on a four-game lead in the deciding set. "It happens in tennis. It's never over until it's over and it showed," said Federer, having emphatically outplayed Tsonga for a set-and-a-half.
"He completely lost his game for an hour there. That's what Jo does. He doesn't make a return for three hours, then he puts in a few and all of a sudden he's back in the match. I never should have allowed it but it did happen. It's not something I go through very often, being up 5-1 and ending up losing."
The similarities with Nadal's sanguine attitude were marked. Federer was also seeking a safe and successful return to competitive action since he became a father to twin daughters Charlene Riva and Myla Rose last month, and despite a premature exit, he didn't seem wholly dejected by his display.
"I didn't think it was bad but it wasn't great either," he said. "It's one of those matches I can live with."
Federer has embarked on the North American hardcourt swing with his expanded family and admitted: "My goal wasn't to just to play matches and do press conferences. The trip here was to do well and try to win the tournament."
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