Israeli pair loses 7-5, 6-4 to 20-year-old Spaniard and partner Carlos Moya in second round of ATP Masters Series tournament in Rome.
By ALLON SINAINadal 298.88(photo credit: AP)
Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich succumbed to Rafael Nadal's magical play on the clay court for a second straight week Tuesday evening, losing 7-5, 6-4 to the 20-year-old Spaniard and partner Carlos Moya in the second round of the ATP Masters Series tournament in Rome.
The Israelis, who lost 6-4, 6-4 to Nadal and Bartolome Salva-Vidal in the semifinals in Barcelona last week, failed to create a single break point on Tuesday, winning just nine points on their opponents' serve throughout the match.
Ram and Erlich, who are currently No. 6 in the ATP doubles race, took a 3-2 lead in the first set after saving three break points, but their inability to create break point opportunities would soon cost them the set.
After the first 10 games of the match went according to serve, Nadal and Moya recorded the first break of the match and quickly wrapped up the set in the subsequent game.
The Spaniards broke once more in the fifth game of the second set and booked their place in the next round after comfortably holding serve throughout the remainder of the set.
Pe'er to face Muller
Shahar Pe'er will face Martina Muller of Germany on Wednesday in the second round of the Qatar Telecom German Open in Berlin.
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