World number one Rafael Nadal has defeated German Peter Gojowczyk way 4-6 6-2 6-3 in the Qatar Open semi-final to enter the finals at Doha.
Nadal, who was given a sterner test than expected after losing 12 of the first 13 points before losing the opener, will play France's Gael Monfils, who beat Germany's Florian Mayer in the day's second semi-final 6-3 6-2, in Saturday's final.
According to the BBC, although Nadal came back strongly in the second set, his serve was broken early in the decider by a battling Gojowczyk, before the world number 162 was overwhelmed by the Spaniard.
Although Monfils has lost eight of his 10 meetings with Nadal, both his victories came in previous editions of the Doha tournament, and Nadal admitted that he might be vulnerable to another defeat after undergoing fresh treatment on his long-standing knee complaint during the brief break between seasons.
Meanwhile, the report mentioned that the Australian Open, the opening Grand Slam of the season, begins in Melbourne on January 13, the report added.
