A semifinal spot will be at stake when Rafael Nadal goes up against Andrey Kuznetsov on Thursday in Doha. Novak Djokovic and Leonardo Mayer are also in quarterfinal action.
Andrey Kuznetsov vs. (2) Rafael Nadal
Picking up right where he left off following an impressive 2015 fall swing, Nadal is in fine form early in 2016 as he heads into quarterfinal competition at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Thursday. The fifth-ranked Spaniard won the season-opening exhibition event in Abu Dhabi and so far in Doha he has taken out Pablo Carreno Busta and Robin Haase. Since dropping his opening set to Carreno Busta in a tiebreaker, Nadal has reeled off four in a row via scorelines of 6-3, 6-1, 6-3, and 6-2.
It has already been an outstanding week for Kuznetsov, who punched his ticket to the last eight with straight-set victories over Marsel Ilhan and Ricardas Berankis. This is the 79th-ranked Russian’s second career showdown against Nadal, having previously gone down 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 in the third round of last year’s French Open. Kuznetsov is a clean ball-striker who does his best work on the slow stuff, but he does not have the necessary firepower with which to hit Nadal off the court. The No. 2 seed should cruise into the semis without too much trouble.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 5-7 games
[polldaddy poll=9259781]
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (8) Leonardo Mayer
Djokovic and Mayer will also be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers on Thursday. Their only previous encounter came at the 2014 Australian Open, where Djokovic coasted 6-0, 6-4, 6-4. Based on the Serb’s form, there is no reason to think much will be different this time around. Building on what was a purely dominant 2015 campaign, Djokovic is off to a 2-0 start this season with consecutive 6-2, 6-2 beatdowns of Dustin Brown and Fernando Verdasco.
Mayer has been similarly untouchable through two rounds, having dropped a total of nine games to Benjamin Becker and Pablo Andujar. The 35th-ranked Argentine is likely to narrowly miss out on Australian Open seeding, as he would have to pull off this monumental upset and then reach the Doha final in order to have a chance. Djokovic will not let that happen, as the top seed will be eager to make some kind of amends for his surprising quarterfinal loss at this tournament last year to Ivo Karlovic.
Pick: Djokovic in 2 losing 5-7 games
[polldaddy poll=9259780]
who ya got?
Nole losing five games or less.
DO YOU
Nole losing 5-7 games and Rafa losing 3-4
I agree with both picks. I think that Novak and Rafa should get through easily, both losing 5-7 games.
Keep your mind focused, stay confident and show your fighting spirit, Rafa!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYHEvIuUEAApgDh.png
Is that a prayer?
Wow, Marchenko doesn’t waste time…4:0 serving for 5:0! Amazing! Maybe I should watch the match! I thought it was not worth it…
Wow, when asked about facing Rafa next most likely, Marchenko replied: ‘he (Rafa) must win his match first’!
Rafa, please win your match and then beat this guy.
what’s so bad about that?
oh snap, Ricky.
Kuznetsov should have had break point in the first game. Nadal hit a mishit lob winner.
Rafa would say the same, or at least qualify his answer with, “if he wins”.
Marchenko would have been disrespectful if he assumed who his next opponent would be.
Nope, Rafa wont say that. He’ll just say that his next opponent is a tough opponent.
BTW, Rafa not playing too well in this match. His opponent is controlling the point now; Rafa prefers to stay back and defend.
I’ve seen him say it when asked. He will say something like, “if he is my next opponent”, or “they have to play their match first”.
Its a matter of how Marchenko puts it – ‘if he (Rafa) wins’ sounds better than ‘he must win his match first’ and thats my opinion.
I would have preferred Chardy as Rafa’s next opponent. But I am jumping the gun. Rafa has to beat Kuznetsov first.
Rafa won the first set. I wish Rafa had a great serve so he could win best of three matches with bagels and bread sticks in less than an hour.
Rafa’s not doing so well in the 2nd set
He breaks back
I wish that I could see this match, but I don’t like paying for tennistv. So I am just relying on the comments here.
up a break now
Oh, I just realized that my 24 hour subscription muat still be good because I went on tennistv and can see the match.
4-3 in the second set.
The commentator said that Kuznetsov was dominating earlier but now Rafa has won the last 11 points.
I don’t know much about this guy Kuznetsov.
Rafa down 0-40 on his serve now. Come on Rafa! Hold your serve! Don’t let this guy back in the match.
Kuznetsov breaks back to make it 4-4. I think that my prediction for this match may go down the drain.
Rafa’s over hit a few forehands.
Four breaks of serve in the 2nd set?
This discussion should now be moved to the newly created WTA page.
Do you?
Now this is more like the Rafa of last year with getting the break and then giving it back. Rafa needs to get it together here.
The commentators said that Kuznetsov’s made 22 UE’s because he’s got to go for broke and be aggressive.
Rafa hit a loose ROS and Kuznetsov holds. I don’t know what’s happening but Rafa seems to have lost the plot here. I sure don’t want to see this go to a third set.
They put up a stat – last 10 points, Kuznetsov 9, Rafa 1.
He let this guy back in the match and he’s taking full advantage now.
it was 10-0
2 straight games at love then 30-0 in the next game