Nadal eyes double, gives up mixed bid

RIO DE JANEIRO — Rafael Nadal gave up his ambitious dream of an Olympic golden treble Thursday after spending an exhausting four hours on court to reach the singles quarterfinals and men’s doubles final. The 30-year-old Spaniard was set to partner French Open champion Garbine Muguruza in the mixed but withdrew just moments before they were to face Lucie Hradecka and Radek Stepanek in a first round tie. The effort of downing Gilles Simon in the singles followed just a couple of hours later by teaming with lifelong friend Marc Lopez to beat Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil to make the gold medal doubles match proved too much. Nadal, having already spent eight hours on court this week, followed by four more Thursday, the 14-time major winner ran out of gas, his plans not helped by all of Wednesday’s schedule being washed out. Nadal had hinted that he was unlikely to fullfil his mixed doubles commitments just after seeing off Nestor and Pospisil 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/4) to set-up Friday’s gold medal clash against Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau of Romania. Nadal, the 2008 Olympic singles champion, defeated French 15th seed Simon 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 and Friday faces Brazilian No. 1 Thomaz Bellucci who beat Belgian eighth seed David Goffin 7-6 (12/10), 6-4. Andy Murray came back from 3-0 down in the deciding set to defeat Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 and will next face American 12th seed Steve Johnson who brushed aside Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy 6-1, 6-1. Murray was soon back on court partnering Heather Watson in the mixed doubles after Monica Niculescu and Mergea withdrew. The British pair, silver medalists in London four years ago, made the most of their late call-up, beating David Ferrer and Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 6-3, 6-3. Elsewhere in the men’s singles, Japan’s fourth seed Kei Nishikori eased past Andrej Martin of Slovakia 6-2, 6-2. He next faces flamboyant French shotmaker Gael Monfils who beat 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-4. Juan Martin del Potro made the last-eight with a 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-2 win over Taro Daniel of Japan to set up a quarterfinal with Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova made Friday’s women’s semifinals by defeating Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-0. She now faces Monica Puig who beat Germany’s Laura Siegemund 6-1, 6-1 as she continues her push to be Puerto Rico’s first gold medalist. American seventh seed Madison Keys saw off Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-1. She will face second seed and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber who beat Britain’s Johanna Konta 6-1, 6-2.