Rafael Nadal will continue his Indian Wells campaign on Wednesday against a red-hot Alexander Zverev. Richard Gasquet and Marin Cilic are also aiming for a place in the quarterfinals.
(4) Rafael Nadal vs. Alexander Zverev
Nadal and Zverev will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they clash in round four of the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday afternoon. It has already been a stellar tournament for Zverev, and even by Nadal’s recent standards it has been relatively productive. Zverev booked his spot in the last 16 by taking out Ivan Dodig, Grigor Dimitrov, and Gilles Simon. The 18-year-old German came back from a set and a break down against Dodig, recovered from a break deficit against Dimitrov in the third set, and then clobbered Simon 6-2, 6-2. Nadal battled past Gilles Muller 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 before avenging his Australian Open defeat at the hands of Fernando Verdasco with a 6-0, 7-6(9) victory.
The fifth-ranked Spaniard is coming off consecutive setbacks on the Golden Swing–to Dominic Thiem in the Buenos Aires semifinals and to Pablo Cuevas in the Rio de Janeiro semis. Although he is in fine form for the most part, Zverev also needed a strong performance in Indian Wells to erase the taste of defeat. He lost a pair of Davis Cup rubbers to the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych and Lukas Rosol, the latter in a decisive fifth showdown. Zverev has the exact kind of game that can seriously trouble Nadal, with a huge serve and forehand to go along with a solid two-handed backhand. He also moves extremely well for a man of his size (6’6”). If the world No. 58 can avoid long rallies and shorten the match, he may be able to hit Nadal off the court before stamina becomes an issue.
Pick: Zverev in 2
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(8) Richard Gasquet vs. (10) Marin Cilic
Gasquet’s season got off to a late start because of a back injury, but he is making up for lost time heading into a fourth-round contest against Cilic in Indian Wells. Gasquet, who missed the Australian summer, captured a title in the first tournament of his year (Montpellier) before getting stopped by an on-fire Nick Kyrgios in the Marseille quarterfinals. So far in the desert he he has taken out Nicolas Mahut in straight sets and Alexandr Dolgopolov via a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 decision.
Up next for the 10th-ranked Frenchman is a third career meeting with Cilic. Gasquet has taken both of their previous encounters, each at the Masters 1000 level. He prevailed 7-5, 6-4 on the clay courts of Monte-Carlo in 2013 and 7-5, 6-3 last summer in Cincinnati. Cilic has endured physical problems of his own in recent times, but lackluster results in 2016 can only be attributed to poor play. The 10th-seeded Croat brought a disappointing 9-7 record with him into Indian Wells but it now stands at 11-7 following straight-set defeats of Ryan Harrison and Leonardo Mayer. Based on current form, Gasquet should have a relatively clear edge in this one.
Pick: Gasquet in 2
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Feli has made some improvements in his baseline game…
I have not seen Rafa hitting his FHs this well in a long time and his serve working well and saving him from trouble on many occasions…I am so pleased the way Rafa never gave up in this match…he fought until the end and it paid off…some brilliant winners from both sides…Zverev played well but Rafa was better throughout the match…Rafa should have won the first set…he was aggressive and brave but got unlucky…the third set was a deserved pay back time…Rafa displays strong attitude and aggression which we have not seen in a while…I am proud of our Rafa!
This match means volume for Rafa’s confidence! But this victory is well deserved by Rafa who played extraordinary tennis for most of the match…
Vamos Rafa!
Missed all the matches tonight. I’m sadder than I thought I’d be when I read about how Sascha lost.
But I know it’s what Rafa and Rafa fans needed, so congrats everybody!
Kei is about to lose. I see ?
Simona is bound to lose.
At least the score looks like a routine win for Nole ole!
Nishi hasn’t lost yet. They are in a third set tb.
It’s 3-3.
rc,
Thanks for your kind words about Rafa. He needed a break. I am sorry that it had to come at the expense Zverev, but it’s a learning experience for him. He will only get better.
It’s okay. But thanks back to you, Nny. Surprised at myself when I saw the score and at how invested I am on a silly bandwagon. I didn’t realistically think the kid would get farther than the first round! He kept winning, and winning…until Rafa 😉
Oh poor John, seriously. Kei made it. But sounds like he’ll be easy pickings for Rafa. Fuel for the final?! Will Hawk-eyes come back for it?
I don’t know where Hawkeye is. We need him here!
Nishi won! My prediction was right! Tough come from behind win for him.
So it’s Rafa and Nishi.
Kei is preferable, right? He’s another one that I thought would be out by now.
I picked a Nole v Rafa final.
yes
and thats impossible
??
Clearly, don’t know what I’m talking about!
Nole v Rafa SF, make that. Rafa v Kei QF
Don’t worry. I’ve dropped bigger clangers than that in my time 🙂
I tried to stay awake for the Rafa-Nando match but they were running so late I fell asleep before it had even started. When I checked the results the next morning my heart sank to see – or so I thought – Rafa had been I bagelled in the 1st set. In the ensuing panic I failed to spot that it was Rafa who dished out the bagel. It took a minute or two to realise I must have dreamt the result and all was well. Luckily I hadn’t got as far as posting a comment or I would never have lived it down.
Gone are the days when I could take all-nighters in my stride!!
Both Isner and Nishi present problems for Rafa. Isner is a serving machine who puts so much pressure on his opponents to hold their serve. Rafa doesn’t like to play him.
Nishi takes the ball so early and hits flat groundstrokes. He has also improved his serving quite a bit.
It’s going to be tough for rafa.
From what I’ve seen of Nole, Nny, he looks too casual or listless and only so-so. But I’ve been worried about him too many times and then he raises his level when it’s time. Thiem or Tsonga will be tough for the QF. Raonic more difficult than Cilic or Monfils, if Nole makes the final. (Not even counting Goffin, sorry to say)
Kei hasn’t been at his USO 2014 level for quite awhile. I thought Isner has been strong and would have been more of a challenge for Rafa.
Have been trying to stay awake for Thiem and Tsonga. Don’t think I’m making it!
rc,
I don’t think I can make it to the end of Thiem/Tsonga. It’s getting too late.
As for Novak, he usually raises his level as he gets to the business end of tournaments. So I don’t put too much on how he looks in the
early going. I think he’s the favorite to win this. Thiem or Tsonga could be tough, but I think Novak will be ready.
It’s true that Nishi hasn’t been at his USO 2014 level. But he can still be dangerous. It depends on how Rafa plays. He has to play even better than he did against Zverev.
Serena will need to beat herself to lose this QF. Simona lost the mental battle before she stepped on court. Aga, too. Vika is the great hope to come through the bottom half.
Serena’s holding a serve clinic!
I haven’t been watching Serena and Halep. Now I just turned it on.
Simona looked oddly happy to lose, Nny. What was that? I’ve been following WTA way more than ATP this IW. It’s been a fun draw. But doesn’t look like too competitive of a final is coming. Halep has been the 2nd best – a distant 2nd best! The bottom half, even Vika – aren’t going to beat Serena when she plays that well!
I have one foot in Miami.
rc,
I love it! You have one foot in Miami!
When Serena is on her game, she’s always tough.
Rafa’s quotes from his post-match interviews:
“I’m very happy for the victory, obviously. I was fighting during the whole match,” said Nadal. “It’s obvious that I played against a great player, a player who was serving unbelievable, at the beginning especially. ”
“I am especially happy about the mentality on court, the fighting spirit during the whole match, believing that I can win a match during the whole time even in the tougher situations. I’m sorry for him. But I think at the same time, I deserve a victory like this after a couple of losses with big chances to win, too.”
(Source: the tournament website. Official transcripts of press conferences are released on a 24-hour delay.)
You deserved it, Rafa. ?
Rafa on a receiving a code violation warning for an audible obscenity (probably reported by a line umpire): “It won’t happen again.” 🙂
https://twitter.com/RafaNadalFANS/status/710277466703712257
hahaha…both Andy and Novak do it all the time and I have never seen them get code violation warning for swearing…this is just ridiculous…
The commentator talked about Zverev (I can’t remember which match was it) saying to the umpire: “you are a moron”…I don’t know if he got any warning for it…I think he didn’t…
“It won’t happen again”…Rafa is definitely the sweetest person on earth… 🙂
I adore him for being the way he is…
Chris Oddo (a Sportswriter) : “Applause in the Palm Springs airport as Rafa breaks. That’s the reach of a superstar.” 🙂
https://twitter.com/TheFanChild/status/710246487058329600
The transcript of Rafa’s post-match press conference on March 16, 2016:
http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/~/media/indian-wells/files/2016-interview-transcripts/march-16-tuesday/march-16_nadal.ashx?la=en
…and the official video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9qBFlSEkrc