It was the unseeded player who had a much easier time advancing to the Basel second round, but both Rafael Nadal and Grigor Dimitrov managed to set up a blockbuster encounter on Wednesday. A place in the quarterfinals is at stake.
Rafael Nadal and Grigor Dimitrov will be facing each other for the seventh time in their careers when they collide in round two of the Swiss Indoors Basel on Wednesday night.
Nadal is sweeping the head-to-head series 6-0, including 3-0 on hard courts. Only their first-ever meeting came indoors, with the Spaniard surviving 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 at the 2009 Rotterdam event. Dimitrov took a set in each of their first four encounters, but Nadal blitzed through the last two. The current world No. 7 cruised 6-2, 6-2 last year in the Rome semifinals and 6-3, 6-4 earlier this season in the Madrid quarters.
This showdown came perilously close to being denied by none other than Lukas Rosol. The big-hitting Czech stormed out of the gates against Nadal on Monday and served for a straight-set win. Leading 6-1, 5-4, 30-0, however, Rosol cracked at the finish line and Nadal eventually prevailed 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) after two hours and 16 minutes.
“It was a very tough match emotionally,” Basel’s No. 3 said after scraping past Rosol in what was a predictably contentious battle. “At the same time, it’s a great victory. It’s important for me to have these kinds of comebacks. I’ve been in these situations more times than I would like this year, so I’m happy to win a match like this.”
Nadal may be in the midst of a disappointing year overall, but he is a solid 9-2 since the U.S. Open.
Not unlike his opponent, Dimitrov will take a win any way he can get it these days. The 28th-ranked Bulgarian pocketed a refreshingly routine one on Tuesday, easing past Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3, 6-4 without facing a single break point. Dimitrov is 31-20 for what has been a rough 2015 campaign and he is a similarly mediocre 5-4 since the start of the U.S. Open.
Although the former world No. 8 is far more dynamic and overall better player than Rosol, he cannot trouble Nadal in the same way. Rosol blasted Nadal off the court for a set–and almost two–on Monday, just as he had done for three out of five sets at Wimbledon in 2012. Dimitrov has never been able to do so and his current form suggests nothing will change in this one.
With a match under his belt, Nadal should raise his level considerably and defeat Dimitrov for a seventh straight time.
Pick: Nadal in 2
[polldaddy poll=9148341]
Dimitrov with an ace, Nadal with a missed forehand down the line, 30-0 Dimitrov with a serve over head combo 40-0 and Dimitrov holds to love with a nonreturnable serve.
Koenig and co are riding two horses at once. They are praising Dimitrov to high heaven and being unduly hard on Rafa. But they’re hedging their bets in case Dimitrov doesn’t pull off the upset.
I am fortunate enough to have Paul Annacone and someone else. I think it’s Leif Shiras. They have been very even handed in their comments.
Yeah they have. They r saying stuff like great backhand from Grigor and such a good return from Rafa.
Yeah they have. They r saying stuff like great backhand from Grigor and such a good return from Rafa.
Nadal rushes Dimi into an error as he moves to the net, Dimitrov with a forehand long, 30-0, Nadal with a first serve Dimi misses the return 40-0 and this time its Nadal who holds to love. Dimitrov 4-3
Nadal breaks to 30 and its 4-4
Dimitrov seems determined and focused for the win today. This guy has been in such a slump but when I saw how he played against stakhovsky I was thinking this could be a tough one I went with rafa in straights before I saw how dimitrov had played first round so I kept that pick but I wasn’t sure heading in and now I really don’t know about Rafa in straights but then again this season dimitrov has lost leads a lot. Best example would be against Murray in cincy. Still he really has been striking the ball well here in Basel in the couple sets he’s played and his serve seems to be clicking more here. I’m not really rooting for anyone but I would say dimitrov needs this more than Rafa does considering Grigor hasn’t had a good win in ages unlike Rafa who has been rounding back into form lately.
Aggressive ROS from Rafa and he breaks back! Well done!
Nadal with a love hold and a 5-4 lead.
Nice easy hold for Rafa.
Set Rafa! Great recovery.
Half way there Rafa.
Dimitrov with a 30-0 lead, but then he misses long 30-15 a good return by Nadal and this time Dimitrov misses a backhand 30-30 Nadal nets to give Dimi the game point but Nadal wins a rally, then forces Dimitrov to go for too much on the forehand and he has a set point and Nadal takes the first set 6-4.
Oh yes! Rafa standing inside the baseline hits a ROS for a winner and the first set!
Would you believe it! I had all but given up on the 1st set for Rafa but I underestimated him. He takes it 64.
Vamos!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSbhOTsWcAAWzYs.png
🙂
Now this is what I want to see. Rafa coming back from a break down and then breaking to win the set. Well done!
Dimitrov 34% first serves 9 winners 16 errors Nadal 5 winners 11 errors and 62% first serves. Set took 42 minutes.
Nice serve stats for Rafa. Converted both break point chances! Net points 3/4 for 75%. Hopefully Rafa will hit more winners in the second set.
It’s so nice to see Rafa playing this way. Standing inside the baseline to hit his ROS!
I think its curtains for Dimitrov, hard to see him coming back from the disappointment of losing the first set despite getting a good start, Nadal also has the advantage of serving first in 2nd set.
That first serve % for Dimitrov really says it all. Not gonna get it done.
I don’t know what’s up with Rafa being broken again in his first service game of the second set. He’s not happy. Rafa kind of banged his leg with the ball as he walked to the sidelines. Some inconsistency from Rafa in this match.