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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Folks – Please write off the season. Don’t expect anything. As NNY said, clay is season he gets it all back..the clay season this year is turning out to be worse
nobody else is playing great. Nadal may be able to backdoor his way to the French title.
no.
Why not ?
Because Rafa is losing to himself.
If Rafans are feeling like shit, think what Rafa is going through right now. He will be in turmoil. Thank goodness Xisca is close at hand: at least he can cry on her shoulder this evening.
but he would have even more options if Xisca wasn’t around….
Such as? Dont answer. That was a rhetorical question ?
Rafa is still even money to win the French. Stan at 7:1 is favoured over Fed.
Nole 2:1 odds. Fed 10:1.
If I were a betting man, I’d put some quick money on Fedole before the betting markets react.
Nadal at even money is by far the best value
Stan at 7-1 is the worst
no.
yes.
Rafa will be No. 2 heading into the FO.
Is that a fact, or your prediction?
Prediction.
#NID
Ben Rothenberg @BenRothenberg 20m
Nadal not only had 41 straight wins in Barcelona, he’d only dropped 2 of last 76 *sets*. Had also never lost to Almagro (10-0). Total shock.
Retweeted by Stanislas Wawrinka
@bgtennisnation Time violation till Nov in 2013: Rafa- 30, Isner -14,Delpo-11, Djoker -10.Fed & Stan only player to not receive it . Wow!
Hmmm… Guess we should actually take pity on a bloke who apparently has nothing better to do in life than retweeting and wowing that sort of stuff.
Hmmm…Guess we should actually take pity on a fedfan who apparently has nothing better to do in life than insulting others.
Federer is doing the laughings for 10 minutes.
Rob Koenig @RobKoenigTennis 52m
Best Japanese restaurant on the island, hands down! #IZUMI #Mauritius #TheAddress pic.twitter.com/IvGFzcQLkB
RITB, have you tried?
Ben Rothenberg @BenRothenberg 1h
Before Monte Carlo, Nadal had won 66 of his last 67 matches on red clay vs. Spaniards. He has now lost 2 of his last 3, to Ferrer + Almagro.
#WOW
#EndOfAnEra
Neil Harman @NeilHarmanTimes 1h
Once again on important points, Nadal passive – simply not him. Almagro usually loses it mentally but not today. Rafa very vulnerable.
Rafa is the new Nole 1.0.
#Pression
This is Jazz Hands’ tournament to lose now.
If Nole earns more points than Rafa in Madrid and Rome, he is mathematically guaranteed to be No. 1 at the French.
that depends what you mean by “points”
#ServiceWinner
no it doesn’t.
#SimpleMaths
Dammit Ricky. You ruined my cat streak.
Meow. <3
#LoveCats
Tiggy Says:
“Afterward, Portuguese tennis journalist Miguel Seabra said he thought Rafa has “introduced positional and technical changes in his game to better face Djokovic, but it’s affecting him vs. others.” I haven’t noticed that, but it’s possible, and it’s something to look for.
What I immediately thought today was how much Nadal’s 2014 is beginning to resemble Roger Federer’s 2010. That year Federer, who was 28 and had finished the previous season at No. 1, lost for the first (and for the most part only) times in his career to Marcos Baghdatis, Ernests Gulbis, Albert Montanes, Robin Soderling, and Gael Monfils; he also lost twice to Tomas Berdych, who hadn’t beaten him in six years. So far in 2014, Nadal, who will be 28 in June and was No. 1 last season, has lost for the first time to Stan Wawrinka, Alexandr Dolgopolov, and Nicolas Almagro, and for the first time in 10 years on clay to David Ferrer. In 2010, Federer was very close to winning in four of those defeats; in 2014, Rafa was close to winning against Dolgo and Almagro.”
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/04/inch-imperfect/51275/#.U1qwo_ldXzl
Anyone seen what Rafito himself has to say after the match?
I wouldn’t be surprised if Rafa loses in his first match in Madrid , if he shows up. That’s how low my expectations are now……………..
The #1 ranking isn’t the most important thing now. For Rafa it’s finding a way to win and get some confidence heading into RG. How he is going to do it now, I have no idea. I just know that he is losing matches that he would have won in the past to players that have not been able to beat him.
Rafa was being real when he said that he lost the power inside. I was nervous during MC and also watching Barcelona. I wanted to quiet the concerns and doubts in my head, trying to push them away. I just get a sense from watching this sport all my life. I so wanted to be proven wrong.
I don’t have any expectations now. No predictions from me going forward.
Forget number 1, the slide can be very steep considering he is virtually defending everything right upto USO now
Not at Wimbledon.
where he got bumped in R1 in one of his best years….
Yes, this is true. But I am just saying that Wimbledon is the one place where Rafa isn’t defending points.