DOHA, Jan 6 (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal was happy with his overall preparations for the Australian Open despite suffering a surprise defeat in the semi-finals of the Qatar Open on Friday.

Gael Monfils beat the top-seeded Spaniard 6-3 6-4 to set up an all-French final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga following Roger Federer’s withdrawal due to a back injury.

“I go to Australia very happy about what I did here,” Nadal told a news conference. “I think I played a great tournament.

“I played more aggressively than usual, including today, even if I know that’s maybe not the right thing to do. I needed to be a little bit more consistent today but I am doing the things I have to do to compete against the best players in the world.”

Last year Nadal lost the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals to Novak Djokovic and the world number one spot to the Serb, prompting the 10-times grand slam winner to switch to a heavier racket.

“We believe this racket can help to hit the ball longer on the serve,” said the world number two.

“I may not win in Australia but I have to keep working like this and I’m going the right way to win in the future.”

DOHA (Reuters) – Gael Monfils stormed back from 4-1 down in the second set to beat Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-4 in the semi-finals of the Qatar Open Friday and set up an all-French final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga following Roger Federer’s withdrawal with a back injury.

Monfils, 25, was unfazed by Nadal’s 8-1 winning record against him and looked the hungrier player, especially in a mesmerizing second set.

Nadal, stung from losing the opening set, surged into a 4-1 lead, and the match appeared to be heading to a decider.

Yet Monfils came again, making 18 consecutive first serves. A long forehand from Nadal gave the gangly Frenchman two break points and he took the first with a stinging cross-court drive to make it 3-4.

Nadal, 25, had a chance to redeem himself, earning an immediate break opportunity with a volley winner from the net.

The top seed’s next return appeared out and Monfils paused, waiting for the call. When this did not come, the Frenchman clipped a shot over and a confused Nadal missed his.

Monfils went on to hold for 4-4 and Nadal still seemed preoccupied as he served again, slipping 40-0 down following two mistakes and another blistering forehand winner from the pumped-up Frenchman.

By Matt Smith

(Reuters) – Roger Federer pulled out of the Qatar Open due to back pain on Friday only 10 days before the start of the Australian Open.

The Swiss, who would be chasing a record 17th grand slam title in Australia, was confident however that he would be fit for the tournament in Melbourne, which starts on January 16.

“I hurt my back in the second round match (on Wednesday),” Federer, who won the last of his 16 grand slam titles in Australia two years ago, told a news conference.

“I don’t think it’s the right time to risk anything right now. For Australia, I’m optimistic. It’s not good, but it isn’t crazy bad.

“Without playing and the right treatment I will get through it in the next few days. I have a long journey to Australia, but hopefully mid next week I should be 100 percent again,” added the world number three.

Federer started the Qatar tournament in imperious form, dropping just nine games in his opening two matches, but he struggled in Thursday’s quarter-final against Andreas Seppi, edging through 6-3 5-7 6-4.

DOHA (Reuters) – A stuttering Roger Federer and a rampaging Rafa Nadal need to clear only one more hurdle before setting up a tantalising final showdown at the Qatar Open.

Federer appeared to have left his A game behind in the locker room on Thursday as he dropped his first set this week before eventually taming Italy’s Andreas Seppi 6-3 5-7 6-4.

While the Swiss, who won the last of his record 16 grand slam titles at the Australian Open two years ago, extended his winning run to 20 matches, Nadal shunted aside Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny 6-4 6-4.

Hoping to block the much-anticipated Federer-Nadal final will be a pair of entertaining French showmen.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga booked a semi-final date with Federer in Doha for the second year running after rolling over Spain’s Albert Ramos 6-2 6-1.

Monfils made sure that the top four seeds all lived up to their billings with a 6-2 6-3 win over Serbia’s Viktor Troicki.

Defending champion Federer played Tsonga eight times in 2011. Although the Swiss came out on top on six occasions, he is unlikely to underestimate Tsonga’s credentials especially since the Frenchman beat him at his beloved Wimbledon last June.

DOHA, Jan 5 (Reuters) – A stuttering Roger Federer and a rampaging Rafa Nadal need to clear only one more hurdle before setting up a tantalising final showdown at the Qatar Open.

Federer appeared to have left his A game behind in the locker room on Thursday as he dropped his first set this week before eventually taming Italy’s Andreas Seppi 6-3 5-7 6-4.

While the Swiss, who won the last of his record 16 grand slam titles at the Australian Open two years ago, extended his winning run to 20 matches, Nadal shunted aside Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny 6-4 6-4.

Hoping to block the much-anticipated Federer-Nadal final will be a pair of entertaining French showmen.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga booked a semi-final date with Federer in Doha for the second year running after rolling over Spain’s Albert Ramos 6-2 6-1.

Monfils made sure that the top four seeds all lived up to their billings with a 6-2 6-3 win over Serbia’s Viktor Troicki.

Defending champion Federer played Tsonga eight times in 2011. Although the Swiss came out on top on six occasions, he is unlikely to underestimate Tsonga’s credentials especially since the Frenchman beat him at his beloved Wimbledon last June.

DOHA (Reuters) – Top seed Rafael Nadal beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-4 6-4 in a bruising encounter on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the Qatar Open.

Nadal darted around the court to hit a series of blistering winners but his opponent refused to get overawed and broke the Spaniard in the second set.

However, Nadal survived the mini setback and showed he was ready to stake a claim for the Australian Open title later this month.

“I think I played really well,” Nadal said in a courtside interview. “At the end of the match, it was a little bit nervous, which is normal for the start of the season.

“I was moving fast and I went to the net a lot of times. That’s what I need to do if I want to compete with the really top players.”

Nadal will play Frenchman Gael Monfils for a place in the final. The Frenchman beat Serbian fifth seed Viktor Troicki 6-2 6-3. Roger Federer will take on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the other last-four match.

After squandering two break points in the opening game against Youzhny, Nadal made no mistake on his next opportunity a couple of games later. He dragged Youzny into a gruelling rally and pumped his fists in delight as the tiring Russian slugged a backhand into the net.

DOHA, Jan 5 (Reuters) – Top seed Rafael Nadal beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-4 6-4 in a bruising encounter on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the Qatar Open.

Nadal darted around the court to hit a series of blistering winners but his opponent refused to get overawed and broke the Spaniard in the second set.

However, Nadal survived the mini setback and showed he was ready to stake a claim for the Australian Open title later this month.

“I think I played really well,” Nadal said in a courtside interview. “At the end of the match, it was a little bit nervous, which is normal for the start of the season.

“I was moving fast and I went to the net a lot of times. That’s what I need to do if I want to compete with the really top players.”

Nadal will play Frenchman Gael Monfils for a place in the final. The Frenchman beat Serbian fifth seed Viktor Troicki 6-2 6-3. Roger Federer will take on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the other last-four match.

After squandering two break points in the opening game against Youzhny, Nadal made no mistake on his next opportunity a couple of games later. He dragged Youzny into a gruelling rally and pumped his fists in delight as the tiring Russian slugged a backhand into the net.

DOHA (Reuters) – Defending champion Roger Federer won a 20th straight match on Thursday by beating Andreas Seppi 6-3 5-7 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open to set up a final four meeting with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Federer, who had dropped just nine games in his opening two matches in Doha, struggled at times against the towering Italian and he will have to improve to beat Tsonga.

“I’m looking forward to playing him,” said Federer in a court-side interview. “I hope we can live up to expectations.”

The Swiss started brightly, winning Seppi’s first service game, but soon lost his own serve with a double fault as the eighth seed came back to 2-3. The 16-times grand slam winner broke again and saw out the first set.

Seppi, who had never previously won a set in seven matches against Federer, was unbowed, going 0-40 up on his opponent’s opening service game of the second set.

Federer hammered down consecutive aces to save the first two, but a tentative second serve from the world number three then enabled 27-year-old Seppi to seize his chance and go 2-0 ahead.

The Italian had another break chance for a 4-0 lead, but Federer escaped with a big serve that left Seppi helpless to trim the deficit to 1-3.

DOHA, Jan 5 (Reuters) – Defending champion Roger Federer won a 20th straight match on Thursday by beating Andreas Seppi 6-3 5-7 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open to set up a final four meeting with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Federer, who had dropped just nine games in his opening two matches in Doha, struggled at times against the towering Italian and he will have to improve to beat Tsonga.

“I’m looking forward to playing him,” said Federer in a court-side interview. “I hope we can live up to expectations.”

The Swiss started brightly, winning Seppi’s first service game, but soon lost his own serve with a double fault as the eighth seed came back to 2-3. The 16-times grand slam winner broke again and saw out the first set.

Seppi, who had never previously won a set in seven matches against Federer, was unbowed, going 0-40 up on his opponent’s opening service game of the second set.

Federer hammered down consecutive aces to save the first two, but a tentative second serve from the world number three then enabled 27-year-old Seppi to seize his chance and go 2-0 ahead.

The Italian had another break chance for a 4-0 lead, but Federer escaped with a big serve that left Seppi helpless to trim the deficit to 1-3.

DOHA (Reuters) – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga set up a potential semi-final against Roger Federer after an untroubled 6-2 6-1 win over Spanish left-hander Albert Ramos in the Qatar Open on Thursday.

World number three Federer is seeking a 20th straight victory in his quarter-final against Andreas Seppi.

“It’s difficult to play against him (Federer),” the Frenchman said in a court-side interview. “I have to be perfect and play my best tennis but I know I can do it.”

Tsonga started strongly against Ramos, breaking the 23-year-old in the opening game.

Ramos hugged the baseline, but Tsonga tempted him to the net with a sliced dropshot the Spaniard could not counter, giving the Frenchman a break chance.

Ramos saved this and another as Tsonga shanked a backhand passing shot into the net, but the world number six broke at the third attempt following a Ramos error.

Tsonga then held to serve to love in his first two service games, taking a 3-1 lead.