Barcelona R3 previews and predictions: Nadal vs. Garcia-Lopez, Goffin vs. Khachanov

Rafael Nadal will continue his Barcelona campaign when he goes up against a second consecutive Spaniard in Guillermo Garcia-Lopez on Thursday. David Goffin and Karen Khachanov are also aiming for a place in the quarterfinals.

(1) Rafael Nadal vs. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez

Nadal’s projected path to the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell semifinals included Kei Nishikori in the third round and Novak Djokovic in the quarters. Now, however, it pits him against Garcia-Lopez in the third round and–following an expected win–either Martin Klizan or Feliciano Lopez in the quarters. Of course, based on the world No. 1’s current clay-court form it likely doesn’t matter who is on the other side of the net. Nadal is 8-0 on the slow stuff so far this spring with a pair of Davis Cup victories over Germany, an 11th title in Monte-Carlo, and a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of countryman Roberto Carballes Baena on Wednesday.

This marks the sixth career ATP-level contest between the two Spaniards and first since a showdown at this same Barcelona event back in 2012. Nadal leads the head-to-head series 4-1, losing only an infamous 2010 indoor hard-court match in Bangkok during which he went 2-for-26 on break points. Garcia-Lopez began this week by beating Yuichi Sugita 7-6(5), 7-6(5) before taking the first set from Monte-Carlo runner-up Kei Nishikori and getting a retirement. This, of course, is where the 34-year-old’s luck has run out. Nadal will be eager to make amends for his relatively poor performance against Carballes Baena, so something along the lines of their 6-1, 6-2 result six years ago in Barcelona should be expected.

Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 3-4 games

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(4) David Goffin vs. (16) Karen Khachanov

Goffin and Khachanov will be squaring off for the fifth time in their careers and for the fifth time in the last 14 months when they meet again on Thursday. The head-to-head series stands at 3-1 in Goffin’s favor, but Khachanov’s lone victory came in the same round of this same Barcelona tournament last spring via a 6-7(7), 6-3, 6-4 decision. Goffin got revenge a few weeks later by prevailing 6-2, 7-6(8) in Madrid and he also got the job done 6-4, 6-4 during the fall indoor swing in Montpellier.

The 10th-ranked Belgian appears to be heating up just in time for the French Open, where his string of bad injury luck began last season. He most recently dealt with an eye issue but returned to reach the Monte-Carlo quarterfinals prior to a Barcelona win over Marcel Granollers. Against Granollers on Tuesday, Goffin erased a set and 5-1 deficit and saved one match point to eventually triumph 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2. Khachanov also benefited from a first-round bye before defeating Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday. With a second lease on life this week, Goffin should once again be able to withstand his opponent’s power game and continue his success in the head-to-head success against the Russian.

Pick: Goffin in 3

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