Top two seeds Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori will be aiming for spots in the Barcelona quarterfinals on Thursday. They are set for respective meetings with Albert Montanes and Jeremy Chardy.
(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (WC) Albert Montanes
It will be another all-Spanish affair for Nadal when he faces Montanes for the sixth time in his career during third-round action at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Thursday. All five of their previous encounters have gone Nadal’s way, including four on hard courts. The much more accomplished of the two countrymen has taken all 11 of their contested sets. At the ATP level, Nadal has dominated by set scores of 6-1, 6-0, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1, and 6-2. Their only meeting since 2007 came last season in Rio de Janeiro, where the 14-time Grand Slam champion cruised 6-1, 6-2.
Fresh off his ninth Monte-Carlo title and looking for the same number in Barcelona, Nadal kicked off his week by hammering compatriot Marcel Granollers 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday. The No. 1 seed is now 18-6 for the year and 10-2 on clay. Montanes has made the most of his wild card into this event by taking out Roberto Carballes Baena and Joao Sousa in easy straight sets. The resurgent 35-year-old is 6-3 at the ATP level this season and will be back in the top 100 next week for the first time since last February. Nonetheless, Montanes has been positively futile in this head-to-head series and the underdog will not be helped by the fact that Nadal is 44-3 lifetime at this tournament.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 6 games or fewer
[polldaddy poll=9392031]
(13) Jeremy Chardy vs. (2) Kei Nishikori
Nishikori and Chardy will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers on Thursday. The head-to-head series stands at 3-2 in favor of Nishikori, but Chardy won their only previous clay-court contest 6-4, 6-1 three years ago in Rome. They most recently faced each other last fall on the indoor hard courts of Paris, where Nishikori prevailed 7-6(4), 6-7(6), 6-1.
On rare occasions when Nadal has stumbled in Barcelona, it has been Nishikori who has capitalized on the opportunities. In fact, the world No. 6 is the two-time defending champion of this event. He is 11-0 in his last 11 Barcelona matches and only Roberto Bautista has managed to take a set (twice) during this stretch. Nishikori cruised past Thiemo De Bakker 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday, while Chardy beat Victor Estrella Burgos 7-5, 6-2 on Tuesday. The 33rd-ranked Frenchman is a mediocre 10-9 for his 2016 campaign and 2-5 in his last seven matches. Nothing bodes well for the underdog heading into Thursday, as this is a much different Nishikori than the one Chardy beat on clay in 2013.
Pick: Nishikori in 2
[polldaddy poll=9392118]
I am actually looking forward to Rafa playing Fog. I want him to get back one of those tough losses against him last year and show him who is boss and who is back!
It’ll be interesting to see how Fog reacts if Rafa goes beyond his allotted serving time
“if”? LOL
Well I guess it depends on how you define “HIS allotted serving time”.
Don’t you? Or do you.
Rafa’s forehand so really good today. And, I am not talking about the DTL or inside out forehands only. I am really happy with the way he has started hitting his CC forehand! Notice how he is getting better angles on that shot and that allows him to spread the court and dictate relentlessly. When he was struggling, his CC forehands not only lacked depth but they also were also not pulling opponents off the court enough…doing a lot better now.
Fog will be a good test as the Italian has a good forehand DTL and tackles rafa’s forehand CC well. I want Rafa to win this in straight sets. The time has come to raise our expectations from Rafa now….
He will win in 2 tomorrow.
Rafa’s post-match interview with the ATP staff:
(Rafa talks about his today’s & tomorrow’s matches)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRLpVvHJeHY
Quotes from Rafa’s on-court interview (he didn’t speak in English):
“I started off very well, and it felt really good. I’m happy about the victory and very happy about the way I played today,” told Nadal TV commentator Alex Corretja on the Center Court. “I had a great forehand today and the conditions were much better than yesterday.”
“Tomorrow, it will be a tough match against Fognini, he beat me three times last year and it was an up and down game against him,” said Nadal.
http://www.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com/en/news/nadal-storms-past-montanes-quarter-final-birth