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
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I guess it’s not curtains for Dimitrov just yet. Rafa is playing very aggressive, but again at times being a bit sloppy with the errors. I don’t like seeing him lose the momentum after winning the first set. It’s not like Rafa to get broken early two sets in a row.
Rafa missed the chance to break back. Pity.
For pity’s sake Rafa. Stop slapping your forehands into the net..
Dimitrov breaks again
Dimitrov holds to 30 to extend his lead 4-0
Nadal holds to 15 and stops the bleeding in the 2nd set. Dimitrov 4-1
Dimitrov’s been all over the place for most of this season but as we know only too well seeing Rafa the other side of the net makes players bring out their very best. Get prepared for a deciding set everybody..
Nadal with 0-30, dimitrov wins 3 straight points, but Dimitrov with a weak backhand into the net and a double fault hands back 1 break to Nadal.
Yes, this is true. Also, Rafa has been inconsistent today. Normally one would expect him to come out strong in the second set and try to finish it off.
Rafa gets one break back. But this is looking like a third set.
Is it possible for Rafa to break back a second time and maybe find a way to close this out in two sets?
Nadal with a love hold reduces the deficit. Dimitrov 4-3
Of course its possible for Rafa Nadal to get the 2nd break back.
Dimitrov is not well known for his ability to hang onto his leads.
Rafa has sown the seed of doubt in Dimi’s head……………..
Dimitrov holds to 15 and its 5-3.
Nadal holds to love with an outrageous volley and an ace.
Let’s see if Dimitrov can serve out this set………………
Have to hand it to Dimi. He played a good set.
Dimitrov with 3 set points, he cant take the first, fails to convert on the 2nd but Nadal misses a 2nd serve return and Dimitrov has the 2nd set.
Dimitrov with 73% first serves in 2nd set comopared to 34% in first.