Rafael Nadal headlines quarterfinal Friday in Beijing as he goes up against Fabio Fognini. David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet, meanwhile, have a rematch of a U.S. Open five-setter on their hands.
Fabio Fognini vs. (2) Rafael Nadal
Nadal and Fognini will be meeting for the third time in their careers when they do battle in the quarterfinals of the China Open on Friday afternoon. Both of their previous encounters came this season during the clay-court swing; Nadal prevailed 6-1, 6-3 in Rome and 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4 in the third round of the French Open. Amazingly enough, the second-ranked Spaniard has been even better on hard courts in 2013. He is a perfect 24-0 on the surface following straight-set wins in Beijing over Santiago Giraldo and Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Like Nadal, Fognini generally does his best work on the slow stuff. Unlike Nadal, this is the Italian’s first successful hard-court event of the year. Fognini booked his spot in the last eight with scalps of Tommy Robredo and Lleyton Hewitt–the latter whom he destroyed 6-0, 6-2 on Wednesday. The world No. 19 appears to be motivated this week, but his belief–or lack thereof–against the hottest player in tennis could be a factor in this one. If Fognini starts slow, this will be a rout. No matter what, Nadal should advance in straight sets.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing fewer than 7 games
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(3) David Ferrer vs. (5) Richard Gasquet
Gasquet and Ferrer will be squaring off for the 11th time in their careers and for the second time this season when they collide on Friday. Ferrer is dominating the head-to-head series 8-2, but Gasquet survived their recent U.S. Open quarterfinal clash 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3. Ferrer, who is 6-2 against the Frenchman on hard courts, had won five in a row in the series prior to that setback.
Already this week Gasquet has faced a rematch of a 2013 Grand Slam match; he beat Bernard Tomic–to whom he lost at Wimbledon–7-6(2), 6-4 on Thursday. The world No. 10 opened with a straight-set scalp of Florian Mayer and he is now 43-16 for the year. Ferrer outlasted Vasek Pospisil in a third-set tiebreaker in his opener before overcoming Marinko Matosevic 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in round two. The fourth-ranked Spaniard had a rough hard-court summer prior to New York and he also lost early in Kuala Lumpur, but he is still 49-16 for his 2013 campaign. His last two sets against Matosevic were encouraging, so revenge for last month’s loss could be in store for an inspired No. 3 seed. Based on past history, their U.S. Open encounter may be an aberration as opposed to the rule.
Pick: Ferrer in 3
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I missed the first set and have just watched the replay of when he hurt the knee.
I’m wondering why he didn’t use ice packs on it during the changeovers.
I suspect that’s what that huge strapping is on his knee, an ice pack…..
Icing to reduce inflammation after play is indicated but icing during play would likely reduce flexibility and could increase chances of further injury I would think.
RT @chrisjones51: “Andy Murray will meet with medical experts next week to asses his recovery from the back operation and to decide on O2 participation #tennis”
IS rafa’s knee ok? what is this picture all over the facebook? 🙁 not again 🙁
We think it’s nothing serious, @rafaelo, just a bruise hopefully. Let’s wait and see if he moves comfortably tomorrow.
So what is the latest on the knee? Just falling on concrete should not dmage the tendon no? It can be a bruise? Lets not forget he fell badly and awkwardly in USO final too in crucial game at 4 all in 3rd set .
Berdy has already said what he saw of Rafas match against Fabio today gives him some hope he has a chance to beat Rafa
^^^Well, he would say that, no? Otherwise he might as well not show up! When The Fog was a set and 4-1 up, I am sure he thought he was going to win…………….he lost. Sure, Berdy’s going to bring it, his best chances against Rafa are always on HC so he needs to make the most of these chances, but I am confident Rafa will win.
RT @SharkoTennis: “.@RafaelNadal has 6 career 20+ match winning streaks (2 this yr) on @ATPWorldTour, 2nd only to @rogerfederer with 7.”
(match recap) Nadal escapes Fognini with comeback victory – https://tenngrand.com/2013/10/04/nadal-escapes-fognini-with-comeback-victory/
as usual, thank you everyone for your posts… I didn’t get to watch the match (work) but read them in sequence and so _experienced_ the match a little
ritb: are these match streaks period, or streaks on a particular surface? I suspect the former
I am not sure @chloro. Rafa has 2, 20+ match streaks going on clay and HC this year……
Congratulations to me!!!!
#akaConspirator
#WPaccountWithAvatarSuddenlyWorking
#ShutUp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#Classic
#alrightConspirQCator!
I didn’t want to say anything when we were all on the live blog posting during the match, but I was thinking that it had to be the knee. I didn’t see Rafa fall and scrape the knee, but when I came here and heard about it, I was worried.
To see Rafa that out of it and just not focused, could only mean that he was worried about the knee. He confirmed that in his presser. The bad memories come back, he said. He was just not able to concentrate in the match. You just don’t see Rafa getting blown off the court like that. Even though Fognini was playing great tennis, Rafa would have the answers.
Somehow he was able to get over worrying about the knee and his fighting and competitive spirit got him through to the win.
I wasn’t able to see the picture of Rafa with the ice pack on his knee. His match is going to start the same time, so I will be able to see it. I will use the ESPN3 stream again. I don’t want to miss Rafa going for the #1 ranking!
nativenewyorker7@October 4, 2013 at 6:38 pm
—I didn’t see Rafa fall and scrape the knee—
Rafa didn’t fall! His left knee touch the ground when he hit a ball.
—I wasn’t able to see the picture of Rafa with the ice pack on his knee.—
I post it again:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1375918_664100383613968_656275275_n.jpg
augusta,
Thanks! On facebook the photo was cut off and I couldn’t see his knee.
That’s some ice pack!
great post nny
I’ll try to watch it tomorrow, it’s been a while I was able to…
ritb, you must be right, they must be talking about streaks on a particular surface
knee keeping up for another two three or hopefully more years and Rafa should be adding more 20+ streaks like that, at least on clay and it would be nice to see him do it once more on hardcourt
I learned a lesson: NOT to follow you guys’ comments here during Rafa’s match! I went to bed last night, thinking Rafa has lost after reading you guys’ comments here. It’s probably in the middle of the 2nd set while Rafa was behind. But someone’s comment “Fog deserves this…” made me think Rafa has lost. I got all down when I went to bed and didn’t check the news until lunch time. Then I found he WON!
You guys gave me a depressed and sleepless night! 🙁
JCKNY,
Respectfully, you try to watch that match and then tell me what you would be saying. Rafa was down 6-2, 3-0. Should we have been jumping up and down with joy? He was not playing well at all. I think many of us didn’t want to see him lose his winning streak to a guy like Fognini. We also want him to get the #1 ranking.
If you want to get some sleep, then don’t read the comments. 🙂
I stopped going on TennisTalk during Rafa’s matches because of all the doom and gloom. Gladly, a lot of the doomsayers have not signed on to Tenngrand. I think Rafans get so frustrated when he is not playing well that they resign themselves to a loss .