Noodle fiend Rafa Nadal overpowered American Mardy Fish 7-5 6-1 behind a dizzying flurry of baseline winners to reach the final of the Japan Open on Saturday. The defending Tokyo champion will meet Britain's Andy Murray on Sunday after the second seed thrashed Nadal's Davis Cup team mate David Ferrer 6-2 6-3. "I played closer to the baseline and did a lot of things better today," Nadal told reporters. "I felt when I had chances I was ready to attack."
Nadal has been spotted slurping instant noodles before and after his matches in Tokyo and slipping freebies into his racquet bag before going back to his hotel. But the 10-times grand slam champion insisted his diet was healthier than that. "It's not just noodles," he said after overtaking world number one Novak Djokovic for most match wins this year with his 65th.