Rafael Nadal will continue his Madrid campaign on Friday when he goes up against recent Monte-Carlo foe David Goffin. The quarterfinal schedule also includes Rio champion Dominic Thiem and lucky loser Borna Coric.
(9) David Goffin vs. (3) Rafael Nadal
Nadal and Goffin will be going head-to-head for only the second time in their careers and for the second time this spring when they battle for a place in the Mutua Madrid Open semifinals on Friday. They just faced each other last month in Monte-Carlo, where Nadal cruised through a semifinal affair 6-3, 6-1 en route to his 10th title in the principality of Monaco. The fifth-ranked Spaniard also bagged trophy No. 10 in Barcelona, where he did not drop a single set and was pushed to only one tiebreaker. There has been no slowing down for Nadal in Madrid, where he scraped past Fabio Fognini 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-4 before crushing Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday.
A red-hot Goffin clearly has designs of making a second straight appearance at the World Tour Finals (last year as an alternate). The 10th-ranked Belgian is 27-9 in 2017 with runner-up performances in Sofia and Rotterdam to go along with his semifinal finish in Monte-Carlo. Goffin has not surrendered a set so far this week, taking out Karen Khachanov, Florian Mayer, and Milos Raonic in routine fashion. But as their recent Monte-Carlo tilt suggests, the ninth seed does not have the necessary offensive tools to seriously trouble Nadal on clay.
Pick: Nadal in 2
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(LL) Borna Coric vs. (8) Dominic Thiem
Coric trailed Enrique Lopez-Perez 6-2, 5-3 in the first round qualifying and lost to Mikhail Kukushkin the next day. But the 59th-ranked Croat got a lucky-loser spot in the main draw when Richard Gasquet withdrew due to a back injury, and the rest is history. Coric has made the most of his opportunity with straight-set victories over Mischa Zverev, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, and world No. 1 Andy Murray. The 20-year-old is now 13-11 at the ATP level this season with a title last month on the red clay of Marrakech.
Up next for Coric on Friday is a second career meeting with Thiem, who lost their only previous encounter 6-1, 7-5 at the recent Miami Masters. As usual, a switch to clay has done the ninth-ranked Austrian plenty of good. He is 12-2 on the slow stuff (24-10 overall in 2017) with a title in Rio de Janeiro and a final showing in Barcelona (lost to eventual champion Rafael Nadal). Thiem opened in Madrid with a routine defeat of lucky loser Jared Donaldson before saving five match points to overcome Grigor Dimitrov 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(9) on Thursday. This matchup was a fair fight in Miami, but that may not be the case on the clay courts of Madrid. Whereas Murray was content to bloop groundstrokes back and forth with Coric, Thiem–despite camping out many meters behind the baseline–has never been afraid to be the aggressor.
Pick: Thiem in 2
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Rafa missing BP chances so often these days, not good!
Rafa also holds in a tight service game. Rafa really looks focused!
Come on Rafa! Break!
I can sense that Rafa is a bit nervous facing Goffin, probably still remembering how Goffin played that first set at MC.
Playing against Goffin is good practice before playing Djoko, so I hope Rafa beats Goffin here, to give him some confidence when facing Djoko next.
Okay break point Rafa!
Let’s do this!
Missed it again!
Beautiful point from Rafa! Another break point!
Missed that DTL backhand!
Crap!
The more Goffin is able to fight off break points, the better he is going to feel.
Missed chances for Rafa.
See, how terrible Rafa is in breaking serves!!
Just so long as he takes the first set and serves out the match when the time comes. That’s all I ask.
Yes, that’s not asking for too much!
We may be heading for a TB.
I have to believe that Rafa is going to push for the break,
Deuce. Come on Rafa! Steal this set now with a break!
What a shot from Goffin!
Goffin has come up with the shots in tight service games.
Goffin is playing very well and fighting off thise break points has given him a lift.
Now Rafa in trouble.
blew so many chances away haha… Goffin serving and rallying pretty well though.
0-30
30-30.
Whew! Rafa holds!
WOW
Seems that Rafa has to play alternate bad and good matches here at Madrid. I think he has too much respect for players like Foggy and Goffin, knowing how well they could attack from both wings.
Rafa hitting too short at times, allowing Goffin to move forward to attack. I really don’t like Rafa not taking his chances at BPs, making errors at crucial moments.
Could do without a TB. Bad for the nerves!
Whew! Rafa stepped up and took charge in the TB. Goffin cracked in the end with a DF to give Rafa the first set!
That was close! Now I can breathe!
Rafa was losing a lot of TBs when he was struggling with his form but seems to have stemmed the tide.
Thanks Rafa!!!!!!!!!
Phew, Rafa wins the first set in the TB!
Rafa squandered six BPs, though not all were within his control as Goffin did serve well to save some of them. It’s Rafa who made so horrible errors to squander the rest. A TB could be avoided had Rafa played better.
Goffin played well, took the ball early and was attacking from both wings, still Rafa could manufacture six BPs! Goffin really lost it at crucial moment in the TB, quite typical of him.
Ricky….since you’re here..i gotta ask u to go look at Non tennis forum…there’s a junk porn that u need to remove…it’s very very unsuitable for a tennis forum i think!
Hoping Goffin now goes on to fulfil my prediction and comes out flat for the 2nd set. Also need the match to be over by in 30 minutes cos I have to leave for a birthday for which I’ve made the cake.
I am hoping that Rafa can take charge in this second set so that he can wrap this up. He needs to get off the court to be ready for Novak!
Rafa has an opening here.
0-40
Do it now Rafa!
Rafa has to get this break.
Rafa break him now!
Okay! Now serve this out and go rest Rafa!
That’s our boy………….he’s got the bit between his teeth and Goffin is losing heart.
Spoke too soon 🙁
Rafa is nervous and his game has regressed . Had he taken those early BP chances, he’d have gotten this way under control. He’ll still get this in 2 sets I think.
I don’t know why Rafa is nervous. But credit to him for fighting off those break points and consolidating.
I reall want to see him close this out in two sets. That first set was long as it is. I fot want him slugging it out with Goffin while Movak is resting.
I don’t want him slugging it out while Novak is resting! *
Every service game is going to be stressful. Rsda needs to hold, but a second break would sure be nice!
Exactly VR. As I said, Rafa is giving Goffin too much respect! He knows what Goffin is capable of, so he’s nervous at crucial moments when he’s about to break serve.
He should be playing more aggressive tennis, stamping his authority, instead of giving Goffin so much space to work on, he preferring to rally with Goffin. I mean the fact that he could have so many BPs meant he’s playing well enough to generate them, but did poorly to take them!
Now we are at deuce from 40-0.
Yes! Rafa holds! Two more games!
Oh yes! Backhand DTL for 0-30!
Rafa playing from way behind the baseline whilst Goffin steps inside the court more often than not! It’s as if Rafa wants to practice his rallying and defensive skills! ( I meant it in a sarcastic way).
Here we go! 15-40!
Oh man! I thought Rafa had the break!
Oh my God ! What a shot from Rafa!
This is quite a treat to see these two trading shots!
Wow #finalnailinthegoffin
That’s it! Double break done Rafa style!
Good one!
Vmk1 noice!!!!