<div><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">Gael Monfils stuns top-seed Nadal to set up all-French final against Tsonga; injured Federer pulls outu00a0</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Top-seeded Rafael Nadal was hustled out of the Qatar Open in the semi-finals yesterday, joining second-seeded Roger Federer at the Doha exit door after the Swiss star pulled out with a back injury.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="/imagedata/2012/jan/mon.jpg" border="5" align="" alt="" /><br /></div><div><i><span style="font-size: 8pt; ">Gael Monfils celebrates after beating Rafael Nadal in yesterday's Qataru00a0</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-size: 8pt; ">Open semi-final in Doha. PIC/AFP</span></i></div><div><div><br /></div><div>French Open champion Nadal lost 6-3, 6-4 to Gael Monfils, the World No 16 from France.u00a0The result guaranteed a French winner of the Qatar Open for the first time since Nicolas Escude eight years ago, for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also reached the final when Federer's hopes were scuppered by a bad back.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="/imagedata/2012/jan/rafa.jpg" border="5" align="" alt="" /><br /></div><div><i><span style="font-size: 8pt; "><b>Disappointed:</b> Rafael Nadal during yesterday's loss to Gael Monfils.u00a0</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-size: 8pt; ">Pic/AFP</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Federer's decision to pull out before a ball was hit was only the second time in his career that he had been forced into such a decision. For Monfils, it was only the second time in 10 attempts that he had got the better of Nadal.u00a0</div><div><br /></div><div>Curiously the other occasion was on this same court three years ago before Nadal went on to win the Australian Open. u00a0</div><div><br /></div><div>This time the quality of Monfils' play was even higher and he suggested that, at the age of 25, he may still have the time and the mentality to make a challenge to the leaders.u00a0</div><div><br /></div><div>"I like this stadium and atmosphere -- I play great tennis here," he said of an arena with an intimate, highly charged ambience at night.u00a0"I think I served well and I was very fast around the court," added Monfils, who had served 19 first serves into court in a row at one stage in the second set.</div></div>                        

Gael Monfils stuns top-seed Nadal to set up all-French final against Tsonga; injured Federer pulls out

Monfils stuns Nadal in Qatar

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Monfils stuns Nadal in Qatar

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