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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deciding set and Nadal has the advantage of serving first.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSbrtesWEAAUVmo.png
🙁
Dimitrov breaks in the first game for the 3rd set in a row.
Not the way to start the decider Rafa. Pull yourself together please.
Dimitro falls behind 15-30 on serve but he holds on.
Nadal with a love hold.
Dimitrov with 30-0 but Nadal wins 4 points in a row and he breaks back.
I can’t remember when I have seen Rafa get broken in his first service game three sets in a row. This is frustrating to watch.
It’s not only frustrating. It’s also bloody exhausting.
Yes!
Come on Rafa! Let’s do this!
Is this the turn of the tide?
the smash Dimitrov missed on Bp could prove very costly.
Nadal with a 2nd consecutive love holds and he is ahead 3-2.
Dimitrov’s backhand under constant pressure from Nadal.
Dimitrov saves 2 Bps and holds to make it 3-3.
Rafa had his chances, but couldn’t get it done. This is nervous time.
B****r
What is that word? I guess it’s a bad one or you wouldn’t put asterisks in there! 🙂
Nadal holds to 15.4-3
That’s more like it. Keep your nose in front now,
Okay Rafa, this is it! Two break chances! Get this done!