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
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(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
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Now 30-all on Rafa’s serve. He needs to hold his serve here!
Good second serve from Rafa makes it 40-30.
Rafa holds! 5-5
Yes! Wicked DTL backhand to make 0-30 on Kuznetsov’s serve!
Get the break back Rafa!
Now 30-all.
Come on Rafa!
Now deuce.
Just turned it on to see Bernardes in the chair lol.
Fedole would beat this guy losing less than five.
Hey Rafa has to get to the final. I made the assumption that it would happen, but with how things have turned in the second set I don’t know.
I think so too.
Kuznetsov is coming up with some amazing shots in this game.
In this last rally, I thought Rafa had it with a DTL forehand, but Kuznetsov came up with a shot that just made it over the net and there was nothing Rafa could do.
Kuznetsov holds with an ace.
Now it’s up to Rafa to hold to take it to a tb.
This is becoming frustrating to watch.
set Kuznet
Really dont like the way Rafa is playing today. He’s reverting back to old way of playing. Perhaps Marchenko is right in saying Nadal must win his match first.
Rafa not going to beat Novak anywhere playing like this!
lucky,
I have to agree with you. Not good stuff from Rafa here.
This is Rafa’s game plan to get more match practice.
What is going on with this guy? He just hit an unbelievable ROS for a winner on Rafa’s serve.
Both guys tied with forehand winners at 8 apiece.
Rafa’s hitting short setting him up.
Oh no! Kuznetsov has set point.
Come on Rafa!
Unbelievable! Kuznetsov breaks to take the second set!
I cannot fathom what I am seeing here. But Kuznetsov is playing well and going for his shots. Commentators said 19th winner from Kuznetsov.
So we are going to a third set. Rafa is going to have to regroup here and get this done now. I thought he let Kuznetsov back into the set and then just seemed to lose focus.
Now I am getting nervous.
It’s easier to hit winners when your opponent hits short.
Yes, this is very true.
I also wanted to say that Rafa made this guy look good because he just didn’t play well in the latter half of that second set.
What bothers me is that Rafa played a lousy game to give the break back, but then had his chances getting to 0-30 on Kuznetsov’s service games twice. But he was unable to capitalize.