Acapulco R1 previews and predictions: Nadal vs. Zverev, Djokovic vs. Klizan

February 28, 2017 Ricky Match previews 59

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will begin their weeks in Acapulco as part of a jam-packed Tuesday schedule. Nadal has an intriguing opener with Mischa Zverev on his hands, while Djokovic is going up against Martin Klizan.

Mischa Zverev vs. (2) Rafael Nadal

Nadal and Zverev will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers and for the second time this season when they meet again in the Abierto Mexicano Telcel first round on Tuesday. Their only previous encounter came last month in Brisbane, where Nadal dominated 6-1, 6-1. Zverev, though, has to be a much more confident player just seven weeks later. After all, the 29-year-old German made a breakthrough run to the Australian Open quarterfinals that included an upset of world No. 1 Andy Murray. Zverev is up to a career-high 30th in the rankings, but he is 0-4 in his last four matches starting with a quarterfinal loss at Melbourne Park to eventual champion Roger Federer.

This marks Nadal’s first appearance in Acapulco since it became a hard-court tournament in 2014. His past history at this tournament hardly matters since it came on clay, but for whatever it’s worth the Spaniard is a perfect 10-0 with titles in 2005 and 2013. Nadal is 8-2 this season with a quarterfinal showing in Brisbane and a five-set loss to Federer in the Aussie Open title match. A well-rested world No. 6 will likely be way too good for an opponent who has clearly cooled off since leaving Melbourne.

Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 8 games or fewer

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(1) Novak Djokovic vs. Martin Klizan

Djokovic is also playing in his first tournament since the Australian Open, where he was decidedly less successful than Nadal. The Serb was stunned in the second round by Denis Istomin, who recovered from a two sets to one deficit to triumph 7-6(8), 5-7, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. Aside from that, however, Djokovic is undefeated in 2017. He lifted the winner’s trophy in Doha, where he toppled Andy Murray in the title match, and won a Davis Cup rubber against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev.

Up first for Djokovic on Tuesday is a third career contest against Klizan, who is 0-2 in the head-to-head series. They faced each other twice in 2015, when the current world No. 2 prevailed 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 in Miami and 6-2, 6-1 in Shanghai. Klizan’s interesting 2016 campaign featured 500-point titles in Rotterdam and Hamburg, but he did absolutely nothing else the entire rest of the season. Now that his Rotterdam points are off the board, the Slovak–who is a decent 5-6 this year–is down at 62nd in the world. Klizan enjoys the big stages and has the forehand firepower to give any opponent some trouble, but his current form suggests that not much of a fight will be put forth in this one.

Pick: Djokovic in 2 losing 7 games or fewer

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59 Comments on Acapulco R1 previews and predictions: Nadal vs. Zverev, Djokovic vs. Klizan

  2. Rafa in 2. One tight set and one easier set.

    Nole in 3. Klizan seems like the kind of guy that will get all psyched up seeing a top seed like Nole across the net. And it won’t get easier. He’ll probably face Delpo and if lucky, Kyrgios. Interesting draw.

    Reply

  5. Hope Zverev does not get all fired up when seeing Rafa on the other side of the net. Don’t like Rafa’s first matches on HCs…wish Rafa be relaxed and confident!

    Klizan is packed to leave home…I raed Novak is to become dad for the second time! That would settle him down and motivate for more sucess…

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  8. augusta…my dear friend told me that rafa has a strap around his knee..u know what’s going on augusta?is it serious or just a precaution?

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  19. Well done Rafa.

    He played at a very high level with few exceptions.

    Even his serve looked improved. He won his share of free points. Must be the Sampras hairstyle. Haha.

    Vamos!!!

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  21. Nice to see Rafa playing aggressive and serving well. Still his service game on 4:2 was AO fifth set llike. Two double faults and no first serve in showed Rafa is still suffering from “I am ahead in this match, let’s make it complicated” syndrome…good that Mischa was not able to take advantage of it…also the humidity in Acapulco seems insanely high…
    All in all it’s been an encouraging performance from Rafa!
    Vamos Champ! Keep it up!

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  23. I was pleased with Rafa’s performance in his first match. The one blip was that service game when he was up a break at 4-2 in the second set. His serve was AWOL. But at least he held and served it out.

    Rafa is moving on!

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    • Yes Nny!!…moving and moving and moving and moving==>FINAL!!!Let’s hope so Nny!!Wooohooo!!…VAMOS RAFA!!!!I LOVE U!!!!And u too Nny!!!hehehehe…

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  24. It’s the norm these days that Rafa is almost sure to have a service game like that in his matches. Well he came through that service game and the match unfazed in the end. I like his passing shots. He’s not giving Zverev much chances to hit that many winners, just like Fed at AO QF, and unlike Murray.

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    • I agree that Rafa used the right tactics to counter Zverev’s serve and volleying. He took away his game. His passing shots were accurate abd well executed. Zverev had no answers.

      I remember thinking that this was waft Murray should have done in his match with Zverev at the AO. I was quite surprisec that Murray did not seem able to use his passing shots to counter Zverev’s serving and volleying. He certainly has the ability to use both his forehand and and backhand to take control. Why he did not do it was baffling.

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        • Yeah but Murray was serving poorly that day. Rafa here at Acapulco was serving well so not giving Mischa many chances to break him. Murray was more passive too, unlike Rafa, who was more aggressive with his passing shots.

          It only took Rafa two or three games to figure out a way to deal with Mischa at the net and he was calm and calculating while timing and hiitting his passing shots! Murray wasn’t playing that well and was not as calm too. Also, Rafa’s topspin shots were really something unique and it’s hard for Mischa to counter them. Murray’s shots were comparatively more normal for Mischa to handle them.

          I think even if Rafa met Mischa at the quicker AO surface, Rafa would still beat him, given how well Rafa played at the AO (his serves and returns especially).

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  27. Any news about Rafa’s knee issue? I am worried about those recurring injuries. Hope it’s all fine and I certainly hope he would not end up having any aggravating injury at the time FO starts..for me Acapulco only matters in terms of Rafa’s preparation for IW and Miami.,,win and lose here for me is not a true indicator of Rafa’ s form…As long as Rafa does not risk any further injury I treat Acapulco solely as preparation for those important ones to come…

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  29. Although he was tight on a few occasions, even in light of his recent struggles closing out matches, for the most part, this was vintage Rafa from the start.

    He came out very strong hitting freely with confidence and open shoulders.

    It was so refreshing to watch.

    Usually he is slow to start first round and especially after a long layoff.

    It was great to watch.

    But goddam if his knee is an issue AGAIN!!!!

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    • Yeah he’s aggressive from the get go and impressive too, esp his passing shots winners. It’s not like Mischa was playing badly either, except that he served poorly in his last service game of the first set and Rafa broke him to win the set. Once Rafa secured the first set, it’s as if he’s not nervous anymore and so he’s able to hit those passing shots almost at will!

      I wonder what’s wrong with his knee; it’s not like he’s playing a lot of tennis since the AO, and one month’s rest should allow him and his team to attend to and treat his body to get it back to tip top conditions. I hope his knee is fine, his body and mind too!

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      • Hard to say but you know Rafa tends to over practice. I read he was back practicing hard two days after the AO final.

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        • Rafa tends to push his body to the limit! I just don’t understand what he was thinking! He lost the AO, so how hard he practiced two days after the final won’t change anything. Why not let his body rest and recover before he starts any practice or training?

          It’s just not logical, the way he thinks, sometimes.

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  30. I am completely concerned about what Rafa said about the knee. We have all said that the most important thing is for Rafa to stay healthy. The knees seem to have been okay lately. But you never know with tendinitis.

    I am wondering if those five set matches at the AO may have been hard on the knees. Rafa hasn’t played a lot of slam matches because he was losing in the early rounds. This time he went all the way to the final due the first time in two years.

    This is why I wanted Rafa to get the career double slam now. We never know with Rafa when it comes to injuries.

    Rafa said he hopes the knee is not serious. There is so much tennis still to be played. After seeing how Rafa played at the AO, such a great start to the year, I want Rafa to be able to continue,

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  31. I think his body has to get used to all the weekly grinding again if he’s to go deep at the slams and the Atp events.

    I very much hope for Rafa to play all his matches something like the way he played against Raonic at the AO. He was simply impressive from start to finish except for that TV warning that disrupted his rhythm in the second set. I feel that’s the best match he played there. He started well against Dimi but again the TV warning had cost him the second set I feel and then he had to struggle to contain a Dimi whose confidence had grown after that and played the match of his life and Rafa barely edged him for the win.

    Those who played very aggressively against Rafa were the ones who gave him the biggest problems. Note that A Zverev, Monfils, Dimi and Fed all were aggressive and had many more winners (and UEs) vs Rafa. Rafa had/has the tendency to fall back to his more defensive game once he faced an aggressive player; to me that’s his main weakness.

    He should start all his matches the way he did vs Raonic or Mischa; an aggressive Rafa is certainly hard to beat, I’m sure Djoko and Fed would agree with me on this. So, Rafa and your team, please pay attention; get Rafa to play aggressive tennis in all his matches, that way his opponents won’t have many chances against him!

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  32. Here is Rafa’s on-court interview in Spanish:

    https://youtu.be/jZtkJye56F4

    A Rafan, who commented on the interview, asks fans not to worry when seeing tapes on Rafa’s wrists: “… Also, note Rafa removing tape from both wrists during his interview. Nothing to worry about: remember he ALWAYS tapes them under high humidity.”

    Reply

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