Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev remain on a collision course for the Australian Open quarterfinals and they will be back in action on Wednesday. Nadal awaits Mackenzie McDonald, while Medvedev faces John Millman.
(1) Rafael Nadal vs. Mackenzie McDonald
Nadal survived what was always going to be a tough test in the form of Jack Draper on Day 1 at the Australian Open. Draper was neck and neck with the top seed through two sets, but the 21-year-old Brit predictably wore down physically in a best-of-five situation and Nadal prevailed 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. That marked the 36-year-old Spaniard’s first win of the season, as he had previously compiled a 0-2 record at the United Cup (three-set losses to Cameron Norrie and Alex de Minaur).
Up next for Nadal on Wednesday is a second career meeting with McDonald. Their only previous encounter came at the 2020 French Open, where Nadal cruised 6-1, 6-0, 6-3. A hard court will obviously give McDonald a much better chance, but a four-hour and two-minute struggle with fellow American Brandon Nakashima on Monday is not ideal preparation (McDonald survived 7-6(5), 7-6(1), 1-6, 6-7(10), 6-4). Don’t be surprised if this is similar to Nadal’s first match, with the underdog staying competitive for a while before fading late.
Pick: Nadal in 4
John Millman vs. (7) Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev and Millman will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers on Wednesday. A battle with Medvedev at one his favorite tournaments just one round following a grueling five-setter is probably not what the doctor ordered for Millman. The 33-year-old Australian outlasted Marc-Andrea Huesler 6-7(8), 7-5, 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-3 on Monday, needing four hours and five minutes to advance.
Although Medvedev has not been in peak form dating back to the end of last year’s Australian Open, a return Down Under with lower expectations may be a recipe for instant success. The world No. 8 is 4-0 so far this season and 4-0 against opponents not named Novak Djokovic. A back-to-back runner-up at Melbourne Park, Medvedev was simply ruthless in round one and improved to 13-2 in his last 15 matches at this event by destroying a previously in-form Marcos Giron 6-0, 6-1, 6-2. Unfortunately for the home crowd, this has all the makings of another beatdown.
Pick: Medvedev in 3
WWW?
I am hearing that Mc Donald is expected to beat Rafa. Well……………everyone can beat Rafa these days!! 🙄🙄🙄
Mac Donald almost lost today, I don’t c what about him that can bring down Rafa!! But I suppose this is u they play!!
Vamos!!
I can’t imagine why anyone would pick McDonald over Rafa. Rafa. At not be in great form nice, but his experience and physical strength gave him the advantage in a best of five set match.
Autocorrect!
I meant to say –
Rafa may not be in great form now!
Vamos Rafa!
I have not heard anywhere that Mackie is “expected to beat Rafa! He’s mostly said to “have a chance”.
Anyway, I’m off to bed, it’s 11 am here.
Mc Donald is giving his ALL in this first set…….it will be a complete miracle if he doesn’t fizzle after the first set, the kid’s playing a brutal game!!
Rafa om the other hand has to serve better and come up to the baseline to shorten points, even if I feel the rallies will help him sharpen his game. He needs to throw in a few more drop shots as well.
Monalisa: you wanna eat your arrogant words now?
A question: what version of Monalisa are you: da Vinci or California?
Get lost you stupid troll! We don’t need low life trash here.
Are you ok my old friend?
You can make fun of my age even though you don’t know it. You are just a sexist, misogynistic creep. I feel sorry for you.
Nadal: “I can’t say that I’m not destroyed mentally at this time because I am.”
https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast
There we go. It’s the mental damage this injury is going to cause.
Injury or defeat?
Poor Rafa………that’s just incredible!!! In str8t sets?
Y is Rafa destroyed mentally? Rafa has always performed great after injury!! What’s different now?
Permanently injured one gets conveniently “injured” whenever he doesn’t stand a chance to win, but never on clay?!
This is fifth time at AO, isn’t it?
Why don’t you go back to your cesspool! Toxic piece of trash. All you do is insult people. Get a freaking life troll!
Okay he was never going to win this anyway ..it’s ok that he lost ,sad part is the injury. We know it’s the hip but he himself does not know what the injury is and how long he will be put. Rem in 2018 ao qf he had injury to the hip ,he did not play for 2 months n then came n tore apart the clay swing n even played very well at wimby ( lost to djoko 97 in fifth in semi).
So maybe the same thing will repeat ? He may come back strong for the French.
I really don’t know what to expect. One part of me strongly says he is done for good as if you get 5 injuries in 9 months, it means body is giving a signal that time is up. Another part of me says maybe he has 1 more left and to wait till Wimby if he manages one more . Ofcourse if he can’t win French or wimby this year ,it’s curtains and it stops at 22. Hoping he manages to sneak 1 more somehow and ends at 23 or 24 but probability of that is less than 20 .
And yes I have resigned to the fact that djokovic will cross him and rafa will end up no 2 in slam tally. It’s ok ,being no 2 in all time GS race is helluva great.
I think this is going to be tough for Rafa to come back. Just too many injuries. He can’t trust his body. He should have confidence after winning 2 slams last year. The best start of his career. But injuries just got in the way and wrecked his confidence.
The rib injury. The foot. He even went through the ablation procedure so he could play at Wimbledon. He was playing great grass court tennis until the ab tear. That seemed to take a long time to heal and then I read that he tore it again at the USO. That seemed to really hurt his confidence.
He has been losing matches to players he would normally beat. He came into this tournament with no recent wins and no confidence. We did have last year, but I hate to see it end this way.
So sorry folks. Bummer. Horrid. He’ll be back fighting fit for RG. Put your houses on it.
Incy_ Wincy_Spider Bless Rafa for at least finishing the match, what a warrior, ou could see he was struggling, I don’t think he should’ve played the AO, maybe he should have concentrated on using the time off to get ready for the clay court swing, he says he still loves playing, so please folks no retirement talk….
I certain,y don’t want Rafa to retire, however one can’t just ignore the possibility. Rafa said this latest injury has destroyed him mentally. He has fought back time and again. I admire his courage.
Nothing would make me happier than to see Rafa come back one more time. I hope that is what happens. But seeing his wife crying when he was injured was so sad.
Hello Alison and Mira Andi!
Ricky was kind enough to write a page for the WTA. I hope to keep it alive.
Here is the link:
https://tenngrand.com/australian-open-womens-draw-swiatek-a-heavy-favorite-but-contenders-abound/
Hey hey hey RC!..long time no hear!😀
Thank u for the link!..insyaallah if the ‘mourning time’ has passed,i’ll go check out the WTA page k?Right now…healing time!!😀
Hello Elizabeth hope your well, good to hear from you xx
Hey hey hey Al!…Is that u??hehehe…Incy Wincy Spider now??Whoo!!…very unique & nice new name Al!
I remember all the unique names while u blogged on TX once upon a time ago Al!..God!..missed those time very much!..btw..how r u now Al?
Hi Andi Mira all good thanks, hope you are well too, lol yeah I like to change things up now and again 😁
Hahaha!..ok Al!..as long as you’re happy!😀👍
Hi Elizabeth xx