08/09/2008 12:15 PM
World No.1 Rafael Nadal had no excuses for his shock defeat by Andy Murray in the US Open semi-finals - and insisted the Scot can win the title in New York on Monday night.
Nadal, who overtook Roger Federer as the world number one last month and won the French Open, Wimbledon and Olympic titles, never recovered from going two sets to love down to the British number one on Saturday before heavy rain halted play.
When the players returned on Sunday, the Spaniard took the third set and had a chance to level the match after going a break and 0-30 up on Murray's serve at 3-1 before the Scot rallied to take the match 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-4.
Nadal was gracious in defeat and insisted, if anything, the overnight rain delay had been more beneficial to him than the sixth seed.
"Well, for me it was a little bit lucky," Nadal said of the rain delay. "Yesterday I was not playing, so today I played a little bit more. So I just have to accept that.
"Today was a different match. I played with a little bit more energy. It was later (in the day)."
"Before I don't know where was the energy. But he played well."
"I had my chance in the fourth. I didn't convert. He beat me. I just want to congratulate him."
Asked why he had been so flat during the part of the match played on Saturday, Nadal did admit fatigue had played a part after a long campaign.
"Probably more than 84 matches, it's difficult every day to be fresh, so I know one day something like yesterday is going to happen," he said.
"Well, it wasn't the best moment because it was a semi-finals of the US Open, but at the same time it never is a good moment."
"It is always a bad moment, but I'm very happy for everything. I tried my best during all the tournament. I wasn't very fresh during all the tournament. I made the semi-finals, so I'm very happy for that."
"Today I tried my best to try to come back into the match. It wasn't 100 per cent, but I did well, so I'm happy for everything."
Nadal thinks defending champion Federer will be favourite to beat Murray in the final - but insists the Scot is more than capable of landing his first grand slam title.
"Andy has his chances," Nadal said. "I think Federer's going to be the favourite, that's for sure. But Andy is doing very well."
"He's having a very good second part of the season; Toronto, Cincinnati, right now here in the finals. So he's a very, very good player. He can do it."