Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will be part of a jam-packed Thursday schedule in Madrid, but they still have a long way to go before a potential final showdown. They are set for respective third-round meetings with Sam Querrey and Roberto Bautista Agut.
(5) Rafael Nadal vs. Sam Querrey
Nadal and Querrey will be going head-to-head for the fourth time in their careers when they battle for a quarterfinal spot at the Mutua Madrid Open on Thursday. Although Nadal is a perfect 3-0 lifetime, Querrey has managed to be competitive on every occasion. The American lost 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3 10 years ago in Cincinnati, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-3 at the 2008 U.S. Open, and 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 a few weeks later in a Davis Cup showdown on the clay courts of Spain.
Fast forward eight seasons and Querrey will be hard-pressed to make the proceedings so interesting this time around. The world No. 37 has never really taken off since being hit with lofty expectations early in his career–around the time he was busy giving Nadal some trouble. Querrey is, however, enjoying a stellar 2016 campaign. He captured a title in Delray Beach and sports a 16-7 record following three-set wins this week over Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Lucas Pouille. Nadal is aiming for his third straight winner’s trophy during this clay-court swing and his fifth title in Madrid. The fifth-ranked Spaniard, who also has a chance to steal a top-four seed at Roland Garros, got off to a strong start on Tuesday by blitzing Andrey Kuznetsov 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday. Querrey has the big serve-and-forehand combination that can keep Nadal on his heels, but the underdog has spent almost four hours on the match court through two rounds and–even in Madrid–would much rather contest this one on grass or a lightning-fast hard court.
Pick:Â Nadal in 2 losing 7 games or fewer
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(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (15) Roberto Bautista Agut
Djokovic and Bautista Agut will also be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers on Thursday. All three of their previous encounters have gone the way of Djokovic, who won mostly straightforward affairs in Dubai in 2013 and 2014. A much more entertaining and high-quality contest saw Bautista Agut snag a set at last summer’s U.S. Open before going down 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. The 17th-ranked Spaniard is the midst of his best season on tour, even though he has cooled off a bit over the past few months. Bautista Agut, who owns 2016 titles in Auckland and Sofia, improved to 21-8 by outlasting compatriot Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 on Tuesday.
Djokovic’s only loss not by retirement this year came at the start of this clay-court swing in Monte-Carlo, where he dropped his opener in shocking fashion to Jiri Vesely 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Still, the world No. 1 is 29-2 (he retired to Feliciano Lopez in Dubai because of an eye infection) with four titles–including at the Australian Open. Djokovic bounced back from his setback against Vesely by taking care of Borna Coric 6-2, 6-3 in the Madrid second round on Wednesday afternoon. With the top seed back on track and Bautista Agut merely searching for the form that was on display in January and February, there is no need to sound the upset alert.
Pick:Â Djokovic in 2 losing more than 8 games
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who ya got?
Novak 6-4, 6-3
Nadal 6-4, 6-2
Rafa in straights losing seven games or fewer and Nole in three
Keep your mind focused, remain confident and enjoy the game, Rafa!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChsvCKzWEAAjCUK.jpg
Querry has come out FIRING. Rafa in a 15-40 situation right away
Rafa looking pretty helpless out there. And, the serving position change is permananent now and tactical from his part. Anyway, will discuss that later because right now the concern is winning this match. Querry crushing him right now :s
Not surprised.
Rafas home country should never have him play at night. They should play to his strength.
Concerned about this one against a servrbot after dark. Not Rafa’s forte.
Yeah strange that he is playing at night
this will be BEATDOWN CITY the rest of the way
lol Sam serving TOO WELL for that to happen.
Querry would lack the consistency and Rafa will make hitting so hard and clean tougher for him.
Rafa needs to loosen up and go for more…
and he does JUST THAT to seal the game! Much better
Rafa playing BAD … not taking the initiative at all
Good forehand for 15-30..
Even the passing shot , with PLENTY of time, was poor.
that was a HORRIFYING forehand pass attempt
Good response!! FINEEE volley to finish the game! phewww
Nostradimonus
#HerbertWillWinLOL
What is going on with Rafa? The tennis channel has split screens and is going back and forth so I can’t see it!
Please tell me that Rafa is not losing to Querrey!
Okay Rafa breaks back!
Now hold your serve Rafa!
Rafa holds! Now win this first set!
Momentum has clearly swung now…
Break point! Come on Rafa!
Querrey misses! Great defense from Rafa!
Now Rafa will serve for the first set! Let’s do this!
I’m watching with my heart in my mouth!
Rafa breaks!
Vamos!
Querry has started to miss now…and Rafa’s playing a bit better and getting more balls in play.
Rafa gets the first set!
Whew!
1st set Rafa!
Vamos!
Now that’s Rafa!
So happy that Rafa wins this set from 1-4 down. As long as Rafa stays calm and problem solving out there, he’s able to win.
He always has this bad habit of starting slow, allowing his opponents to dictate play, against Murray, Monfils, Kei and now Querry he allows them to do so and makes life difficult for himself.
17 winners to 16 UE from Sam is SICK! Still he ended up losing 6-4. LOL
#OnlyRafa
Rafa breaks straight away in the 2nd set.
Vamos!
Rafa Set 1 stats:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChtunmnUoAAWIWW.jpg
Rafa serves out the set with no nerves.
SICK backhand pass. SICK
Rafa played a crappy game to give Querrey the break back.
Rafa has break point! Come on!
Querrey misses an angled volley and Rafa gets the break back!
Now hold your serve Rafa and get this done!
Querrey is missing more now.
Clutch!
Vamos RafA!
An ace and Rafa holds! Two more games and he’s in the quarterfinals!
This is the Sam Querry I know. Who was that impersonating him at the beginning of the match?
Rafa will serve for the match!
Vamos!
Querrey is done. Double faults away the second break.
Rafa will serve for a spot in the quarterfinals. It looks like he will be playing Sousa.
Rafalicious!
Vamos!
Rafa wins!
The aura is coming back although the players say it never left.
Rafa will play Sousa.
Vamos Rafa!!!!
#EveningGOAT
5-7. Maybe more but Rafa wins in straights for sure.
Rafa to dominate this one.
Rafa match stats:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cht1S55WMAAsI_s.jpg
What do you guys think of Rafa’s different standing position while serving on the Ad court? It is an interesting tactical move.
won’t work against Djokovic
That’s the thought I had – that it won’t work against Novak.
why?
Rafa had a very slow start to the match, which was wierd. Wonder what he will have to say about that in the presser
He always starts slow.
But this time it was more so. He was down a break to Querrey and that’s not to be expected.
I wonder if Rafa is going to say anything about it being a night match and the conditions being different.
The good news is that Rafa turned it around and took control of the first set.
Querry started off very aggressively and hitting his spots with big serves that unnerved Rafa to start with but once he broke Querry he was unstoppable.
Could not watch the match… I am going to watch the recording now, but am a bit surprised that Rafa had difficulties with Query….I know Rafa always starts slow so it might be one of the reasons, the other obviously being Sam’s good showing….
Rafa will play at 4pm tomorrow! That’s better!
did he play very well at the end?
Rafa said conditions were heavy.