A rematch of last year’s final is on the docket for Friday in Barcelona, where Rafael Nadal and Nicolas Almagro will do battle in the quarterfinals. Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic are also in action.
(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (6) Nicolas Almagro
Nadal and Almagro will be going head-to-head for the 11th time in their careers when they clash in the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Friday afternoon. The head-to-head series stands at a perfect 10-0 in favor of Nadal, who has won eight of those matches on clay. The two Spaniards most recently met on two occasions last year, with Nadal prevailing 7-5, 6-4 in Acapulco and 6-4, 6-3 in the title match of this same Barcelona event.
An eight-time champion at this tournament, Nadal advanced to the quarters with straight-set scalps of Albert Ramos and Ivan Dodig. The world No. 1 may not be at his very best after losing to David Ferrer in the Monte-Carlo quarterfinals, but he at least looked better against Dodig on Thursday. Almagro avenged a loss in this month’s Houston final by beating Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-3 in the third round. That was preceded by a straight-set victory over Martin Klizan for the No. 6 seed, who is now 12-6 for his 2014 campaign. This may not be a complete rout with Nadal looking somewhat vulnerable, but Almagro is 2-24 lifetime in total sets against the favorite.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 8 games or fewer
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(12) Marin Cilic vs. (4) Kei Nishikori
Nishikori and Cilic will be squaring off for the seventh time in their careers on Friday. The head-to-head series stands at 4-2 in Nishikori’s favor, but they have never faced each other on clay (all six of their previous encounters have come on hard courts). They most recently collided to begin this season in Brisbane, where Nishikori scored a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory.
Cilic advanced on Thursday by winning a 7-5, 6-7(3), 7-6(5) thriller against Tommy Robredo that required two hours and 46 minutes to be completed. The 27th-ranked Croat, who opened with a straight-set defeat of Andrey Kuznetsov, is now 25-7 for the season. Nishikori booked his spot in the last eight with a three-set win over Roberto Bautista Agut followed by a 6-0, 6-4 rout of Andrey Golubev. Japan’s top player appears to be bouncing back nicely from a groin injury that forced him out of a Miami semifinal and Davis Cup. Based on their past history and Cilic’s third-round tussle, Nishikori should have the edge. Clay is also likely to favor Barcelona’s No. 4 seed.
Pick: Nishikori in 3
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Gutted. Absolutely gutted. Angry at Malgro for playing so well. Angry at Rafa for letting it happen ?
At one point I was going to ask: does Rafa really want to be out there? Nico seemed more pumped than Rafa.
Seriously, if what is needed is for Rafa to take a break then so be it.
Come back when you feel like it Rafa love, when you are ready to fight!
Love you lots!
Vamos!
OMG!! Rafa in shambles, Nole having wrist issues and becoming a parent, Andy not on the scene. Guess who is primed to take advantage. TMF 🙁
While the cat’s away, Fed will play!
#MaestrosMO
vmk1 says@April 25, 2014 at 5:09 pm
Fed’s wife is expecting a baby around the FO &Wimbledon.
Vamos Rafa no matter what!
Vamos Rafa!!! Guess the amazing 2013 had to be averaged out
Serious panic time. Rafa is not winning any slam this year. Leave a slam, no title too I guess
This is a shocker ..real shocker..losing to his Spanish bunnies on clay is torture
Tennis is won between ears and Rafa is mentally too weak now
You only panic if there is still hope.
#Chillaxed
^^Good one, @hawkeye63! I was wondering why I was not hyperventilating!!
The situation is hopeless indeed…….
When you start wondering if Rafa will hold his serve against Almagro, like I was, you know all is lost………
I am just hoping I will wake up and be told Rafa is taking an extended break from the game……………….
He already is.
I wouldn’t assume it’s all Fed’s for the taking. Stan is in the mix now. There are others who can step up.
Fedole
He has fought back from adversities before..2009..2012 etc but I don’t think hes young enough to do it again..will we have to stop at 13 GS? God how critical that AO was this year
Well, I just hope you not comparing physical adversities with mental ones. Don’t you? Or do you.
Mental now..2009 was both physical n mental
2011 was mental
2012 was physical
We haven’t seen this kind of adversity. Losing to Ferrer in the quarterfinals at MC for the first time on clay in ten years? Losing to Almagro in the quarterfinals at Barcelona for the first time ever? This is entirely different from what happened in the past.
^^^^ this
^^^^that
Uncle Toni sounded pretty frustrated in that L’Equipe interview. I have a bad feeling he might start blaming himself and walk away. Hope this is me just being irrational but poor Rafa, he must be in purgatory.
Rafa will come back. But not soon enough.
When do u expect? Next year?
After USO
Nothing to defend.
no
nice avi
Thank you Fan.
#Humb1e
Pablo Andujar must be kicking himself. This would have been a spanish hatrick. We have the Fed to take inspiration from. He used to lose at the tournaments preceding the GS and then cruise to the title 🙂 Vamos Rafa!! Come on champ. Come back strong
Fed played horribly in 2009 after losing AO all the way till Madrid (won it) and then won RG n Wimby (though helped by Rafa injury)
And the hits keep on coming…….
RT @bgtennisnation: “Time violation till Nov in 2013: Rafa- 30, Isner -14,Delpo-11, Djoker -10.Fed & Stan only player to not receive it . Wow!”
Maybe Fed’s plan is beginning to work…………………
#SwissTIming
Nah, it won’t.
#TimeMasterRafa
This is all about Rafa. It has nothing to do with anyone else.
Whats with this Friday n QF losses suddenly (:-
RT @tomtebbutt : “2 THINGS: 1 Almagro should have respected Nadal and gone directly to shake hands. 2 Roland Garros is 3 of 5 sets-different ballgame vs. Rafa”
I agree about Nico’s reaction after the win, that was totally disrespectful to Rafa. Nico is in my black book now.
After Ferru beat Rafa last week, he just raised his arms in the air, like he normally does, did not shout or scream, did not jump up and down, went straight to the net and shook hands with Rafa. That was respectful. But I guess people are different.
Anyway, Nico is not responsible for Rafa’s loss, Rafa is.
Goodnight Tenngranders!
Even though I knew Rafa wasn’t playing well there was always a hope…he certainly had his chances tonight…but it is just the way it is…no more expectations…Rafa should take a break from the game…he is frightened of his opponents no matter who they are and that hurts so bad…
…no more expectations…
#OperativeStatement
Am at work. Glad didn’t have to witness this match.
Commiserations to rafito and all of you.
Come on. Nico is only human after all.If the Djoker can rip shirts, it is understandable that Nico would be pumped after getting the first victory over Rafa. And when he settles down, he would know better than anyone that Rafa beat himself today.
The clay season is when things all come together for Rafa. In 2010 he hadn’t won a title in ten months and then there was the win at MC. This is Rafa’s time. But now he is losing matches that he used to win.
Rafa’s words said it all – he lost the power inside. That gave me a chill when he admitted in publicly. In the crucial moments of a match Rafa doesn’t have that belief. I had a bad feeling all week, but just tried to ignore it. I wanted to will Rafa to win this tournament and start turning it around. After watching tennis all my life, I should know better than to ignore my gut feeling.
I just feel gutted right now. 🙁
You are right that now Roger has a chance of a second career slam and an 18th slam, and Nole has a chance of a career slam and a 7th slam. Wrist seems OK, time will tell if it was a small issue or will be long term.
Damn the stupid back in the AO final.
Almost every time Rafa is about to do something of historic proportions the door slams shut. E.g. first AO – was not supposed to be able to compete well in the final. 4th RG in a row (never done before): injury. 2nd AO: an injury 3 or 4 times now. Career slam AO: worst. 9th MC: twice lost now. 9th Barcelona: shocker. and alas now the 9th RG is in serious doubt.
Not liking the pattern.