Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer will begin their weeks in Buenos Aires on Thursday. The top two seeds and fellow Spaniards are set for respective meetings with Argentines Juan Monaco and Renzo Olivo.
(1) Rafael Nadal vs. Juan Monaco
Nadal will be contesting his first match since losing a five-setter to Fernando Verdasco in round one of the Australian Open when he takes the court at the Argentina Open on Thursday. In his debut at this event in 2005, the current world No. 5 lost in the quarterfinals to Gaston Gaudio. Nadal did not return to Buenos Aires until 10 years later, when he captured the title last season.
Up first for the top-seeded Spaniard this week is an eighth career showdown against his good friend Monaco. Nadal leads the head-to-head series 6-1, including 5-0 on clay. The 14-time major champion has won all of their 12 contested clay-court sets by scores of 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, 6-0, 6-0, 6-1, 6-0, 6-4, and 6-1. They have not faced each other since the final of this tournament last season, in part because Monaco missed the latter stages of 2015 with a wrist injury. The 55th-ranked Argentine played for the first time since August when he returned in fine fashion to crush Marco Cecchinato 6-1, 6-3 on Tuesday. That was an ideal start to Monaco’s comeback, but a clay-court test against Nadal will be a swift reality check.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 7 games or fewer
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(WC) Renzo Olivo vs. (2) David Ferrer
Ferrer and Olivo will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers on Thursday. Olivo, a 23-year-old Argentine, has already done well to capitalize on his wild card by beating qualifier Facundo Bagnis 7-6(9), 7-5 in the opening round on Tuesday. In breakout form to start this season, Olivo has climbed to a career-high ranking of No. 151 in the world. He qualified for the Aussie Open and reached the second round before qualifying again last week in Quito and making a run to the quarterfinals.
Ferrer’s 2016 campaign, on the other hand, got off to glaringly inauspicious start. The sixth-ranked Spaniard dropped his Doha opener to Illya Marchenko and lost sets two and three to Jack Sock 6-1, 6-2 in the Auckland semifinals. But he may be back in business following a strong performance in Melbourne, where Ferrer rolled into the quarters without being taken to a single tiebreaker before bowing out in a high-quality four-setter to eventual runner-up Andy Murray. The 33-year-old is 21-4 lifetime in Buenos Aires with three titles. In other words, this will be a good experience for Olivo–but nothing more than that.
Pick: Ferrer in 2 losing seven games or fewer
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Ferrer and Rafa to win in seven games or less but I think Olivo Ferrer will be more competitive.
yep, 7 games or less for both. Undecided which one will be more competitive.
Wouldn’t expect either match to be competitive. Olivo – Ferrer would be more fun if competitive – that’s my vote.
whichever is more competitive will be more fun, most likely
Ferrer and Rafa both in 2; 7 games or less.
I agree that it should be both Rafa and Ferrer winning in 2 sets.
Also 7 games or less.
Rafa over Rafa in two dreadful rusty playing to the lowest common denominator sets losing more than seven games.
Chance that this might not be the case given that it’s Pico, on a layoff even.
Regardless, given that it’s Rafa’s first match since losing to Fernando “new-brand” Verdasco, it won’t be pretty.
Meet the new brand, same as the old brand.
Do ya!
You said Rafa over Rafa
Precisely.
Ha-ha. In his six losses to Rafa, Pico’s never won more than five games, including two BO5s.
#WashingtonGenerals
Pick-up his racquet and play,
Not like yesterday,
And he bends on those knees and prays,
He won’t get nerves again!
The Who! 😀
Yeah
We don’t get nerves again!
No no…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXrmQBPg2s0
Rafa’s match is scheduled to start not before 9 pm (local time).
https://twitter.com/ArgentinaOpen/status/697501398523625472
Keep calm, be confident and believe in yourself, Rafa!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ca8umUuUYAU5rHu.jpg
Forwarded it to Benny!!!!
#JustInTime
In dreams.
Ferrer losing 7 games or fewer. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank myself.
#CherryPicking
#Goffin
#Pospisil
#Isntner
#DontYou???
Rafa’s match is 7:00 pm my time. I just hope that the tennis channel will show it. They do sometimes have commitments to other tournaments and women’s matches. But since they have been covering Buenos Aires, I hope that I get to see Rafa in his first match!
Good luck, Rafa!
Tennis Channel is showing it
Yes. That will most likely be last match they show today.
Nny, TC’s online and tv guide schedules are vague but they are showing Live coverage – it says at 7pm. It will be Rafa’s match.
http://tennischannel.com/tv-schedule/daily-view/
Thanks!
Rafa is on now!
Rafa broke Monaco in his first service game after holding his serve.
Rafa up 2-0.
2-0 Rafa
Monaco breaks back after a long game, Rafa is making a lot of UE’s and Monaco hit some great shots.
dire stuff so far
As I predicted.
The tennis channel commies are saying that Rafa is showing rust in his game since he hasn’t played for a while.
Monaco is out hitting Rafa at times in these rallies. Why is Rafa doing the same thing over and over?
Monaco has the answers right now. This is giving me a headache already.
It’s 3-2 Rafa. Monaco about to serve.
Nny, I have to go pick up my car – otherwise, I’d be here watching. I’ll take my phone with me. Hope Rafa shakes the rust off and wins.
rc,
I don’t think you will miss anything the way this is going.
Well, Rafa broke back to win the first set. Thank goodness!
Both look terrible. But I only saw first three games and this last game.
Ha-ha. In his six losses to Rafa, Pico’s never won more than five games, including two BO5s.
Looks like pico will break his record of five games.
#NID
Rafa broken serving for the set.
Meet the new year.
Same as the last year.
Do you.
https://tenngrand.com/2016/02/10/buenos-aires-r2-previews-and-picks-nadal-vs-monaco-ferrer-vs-olivo/#comment-86132
Congrats to me.
five service breaks and five holds.
#WTA
Verdasco would have won the first set.
The tennis channel commies are even noticing that Rafa is doing the same thing and nothing changes. That’s what they said out loud. Everyone is seeing it.
forehand has been solid
pico needs one more game to tie his career record.
One more point to tie!
#Excited
pico did it!!!
Now can he break his record?
Needs just one more game.
One more point to set a new record for pico!
Congrats to pico!!!!
SIX games won against Rafa which he’s never done before (except when Rafa was injured and had to retire).
#RafaIsTheNewRusty
He will win this in 2 sets but a disappointing performance… even for a first round this is pretty bad
#Expected
Seven games.
He’s smashed his record to pieces.
The sky is the limit.
pico is playing the match of his life out there!
#MealTicket
tired of expecting better things and getting disappointed. For now, will just have to settle with rafa getting the win. He needs to get some match wins in a row even if that is achieved by winning ugly. Just get the damn wins somehow.
backhand has gone OFF THE BOIL
pico de gallo
#NewBrand
wow…the level he is playing at right now…unbelievable. He is again so confused out there. A consistent hard hitter would have taken him out today…
calm down rafa, calm down.
I didn’t think it was possible to hit a ball so short.
Wouldn’t even have to be that consistent nor hard.
See: pico
pico is the new verdasco
na..pico can’t win this
Magic Pills! Monaco may not win another point.
phew…
stays within striking distance. somehow.
yup…I don’t care…and see, he got the break there. He will win in 2… it will be ugly but for me it is all about getting wins right now….
You said it!
He has to rely on more slices to defend even on clay now..I hope his movement improves as he frees up a bit and relaxes
I will take a win any way I can get it. I cannot pretend that Rafa is playing anywhere near his best.
Disappointing is the word, but somehow not surprising.
Guillermo Vilas in the house. They said the only player to beat Borg at RG.
I think Augusta’s pre-match prayers are jinxing Rafa.
Shhh…Genius at work:
hawkeye63 FEBRUARY 10, 2016 AT 6:17 PM
Rafa over Rafa in two dreadful rusty playing to the lowest common denominator sets losing more than seven games.
Chance that this might not be the case given that it’s Pico, on a layoff even.
Regardless, given that it’s Rafa’s first match since losing to Fernando “new-brand” Verdasco, it won’t be pretty.
Meet the new brand, same as the old brand.
Do ya!
Half-a=Rafa
Verdasco would have won by now.
The players have no fear of Rafa anymore.
Only Rafa fears Rafa.
Meet the new let,
Same as the old let.
Well I just hope that Rafa not comparing pico to Nole.
Don’t you?
Rafa will break pico to seal the victory and My hawkstradamus prediction.
We don’t even know if Rafa will get this done in straight sets. Who knows! We could go to a third set.
Just win Rafa!
he got it done
Rafa will be playing from the seats soon.
Match point.
I am.
Hawkstradamus.
#YoureWelcomeMyFans
GSM
NID
Congrats to Me!
Poco fought hard for his Rafael Nadal meal ticket.
Poco the Clown
It’s 2am in the UK. Maybe, Pico is a clown.
Rafa is through to QFs! Vamoos Rafa!! ✌
Buenos Aires QF previews and picks: Nadal vs. Lorenzi, Tsonga vs. Almagro https://tenngrand.com/2016/02/12/buenos-aires-qf-previews-and-picks-tsonga-vs-almagro/