Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had to face each other in round four of the Indian Wells Masters. This time around in Miami they find themselves on opposite sides of the draw are heavy fourth-round favorites over Roberto Bautista Agut and Nicolas Mahut, respectively, on Tuesday.
(5) Rafael Nadal vs. Nicolas Mahut
Nadal and Mahut will be squaring off for the second time in their careers when they battle for a spot in the Miami Open quarterfinals on Tuesday afternoon. The head-to-head series is tied at one win apiece, with Mahut scoring a 7-5, 7-6(0) upset on the grass courts of Queen’s Club in 2007 before Nadal got a retirement from the Frenchman while cruising 6-2, 6-2 at the 2011 U.S. Open. Those results are not too surprising given that Mahut has always been at his best on the green stuff, earning all four of his ATP titles on that surface (three in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, one in Newport). On hard courts this season the 35-year-old had done next to nothing, owning a 4-6 record with no trips past a second round prior to this fortnight. Out of nowhere, though, Mahut is through to the last 16 with victories over Michael Mmoh, Steve Johnson, and Guido Pella.
Like his 55th-ranked opponent, Nadal has survived one three-setter so far on Key Biscayne. The world No. 6 got bageled in the first set of his third-round showdown against Philipp Kohlschreiber but stormed back to get the job done 0-6, 6-2, 6-2. Nadal, who is now 16-4 this year, preceded that win with a more routine 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Dudi Sela. Although Nadal has not been at his absolute best since losing a heartbreaker of an Australian Open final to Roger Federer, he should have more than enough to get past Mahut in these conditions.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 8 games or fewer
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(4) Roger Federer vs. (14) Roberto Bautista Agut
Aside from a shocking loss to Evgeny Donskoy in Dubai, Federer has withstood anything and everything that opponents have thrown at him in 2017. The reigning Australian Open and Indian Wells champion boasts wins this season over Nadal (twice), Stan Wawrinka (twice), Kei Nishikori, Tomas Berdych, Nick Kyrgios, and Jack Sock. The latest challenger was Juan Martin Del Potro, who went down 6-3, 6-4 during third-round action in Miami on Monday. Federer, who opened with a hard-fought 7-6(2), 6-3 victory over qualifier Frances Tiafoe, is making his first appearance at this tournament since 2014 and looking for his first title–and even final–since 2006.
Up next for the 35-year-old Swiss on Tuesday afternoon is Bautista Agut, who is a hopeless 0-5 in the head-to-head series. In fact, even though the sample size is relatively small, this one of the most lopsided matchups in all of tennis. The Spaniard is 0-12 in total sets against Federer and no set has been more competitive than 6-4. If there is any good news for Bautista Agut, it is that he is an awesome 15-3 this season following wins this fortnight over Mikhail Kukushkin and Sam Querrey. No matter how well the world No. 18 is playing, however, he is likely in line for another beatdown at the hands of a red-hot Federer.
Pick: Federer in 2 losing 8 games or fewer
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Rafa wins the first set 6-4!
Good serving, very focused and well done!
8 forehand winners already from Rafa! testimony to more aggressive serving and groundstrokes.
Really like the statistics shown in this tournament. Very useful stats they show.
That first point of the second set is what Nadal needs to do more. He’s got a great volley; never understood why he doesn’t use it more.
Good! He is halfway there!
Yeah, this is an improvement, even though Mahut hasn’t been up to the task and kind of made it easier for Rafa…
Rafa should be relaxed now and should up his game!
Go Rafa! Go!
98 mph second serve at 30-0. Really liked it.
Nadal is serving really well. I can’t understand why he doesn’t serve like this more often. I think Mahut is playing pretty well, though his own 1st serve wasn’t great in the first set; seems to have gotten better in the 2nd. But yes, this is a more aggressive Rafa; he needs to keep it up.
yup, Mahut is playing a pretty decent match.
Wow that was a sick backhand pass. Hit it inside-out!
Excellent volley from Mahut at 30-30…
Short 87 mPH second serve swatted away by Mahut for a winner. Don’t took your foot off the pedal, Rafa.
Niceee move to the net there! Caught Mahut off guard.
This is the best I have seen him serve since the AO. Actually even better than that!
Rafa is surely slower to his forehand side now. That always keeps me worried about his opponents hitting flat forehands DTL
Yeah, I noticed the same…
Mahut playing better now, serving better..Rafa serving really well, so pleased to see it!
Vamos Rafa!
Way too many returns missed there. ROS has not been sharp today. I would expect Rafa to make a lot more first serve returns.
You can’t underestimate crafty old Mahut. He’s got a classy tennis brain – not the best mover in singles but…it’s only right that this second set comes down to a TB. Vamos Rafa! Come on.
Mahut has done well to take care of his serve in the second set. Rafa serving really well in this match! Nice to see!
Rafa up 4-2. Finish it out!
Hello Nny,
Hope you are well. I’ve got Rafa over Sock but I can’t remember their h2h 😉
rc,
I am doing much better, thanks! I think that Sock is playing very well right now. I know that he and Rafa have played a few times. I think Rafa has the advantage in the H2H.
It should be a good match. I think Rafa is also playing much better now and that’s a good thing!
Mahut seems a nice guy too, so likeable. He gave Rafa a thumbs up at the net after they shook hands. Nice gesture.
Rafa wins! In the quarterfinals!
Beautiful finishing point! Love it!
Glad Rafa had fast and relatively easy match! Tomorrow he is scheduled for 9pm. I don’t like Rafa playing night matches, but that’s the way it is…Sock is playing really well,,,tough match ahead for Rafa…
Vamos Champ!
Rafa gets it! vamos!
The match point was actually a summary of how he played his service games: Accurate serve, short response and a blistering forehand to finish it off!
This performance gives me enough confidence that he’ll manage Jack Sock. It will be a tough one but Rafa will manage.
vr,
I agree that this performance gives me confidence that Rafa will prevail against Sock. I have been watching Sock and am impressed with him. He’s playing well and seems very focused.
Rafa serving so well and being much more accurate with his forehand, gives me good feelings about the match with Sock. But I do think it will be tough.
If Rafa plays and particularly serves as well as he did today, he can certainly win tomorrow. However, Sock does pretty much everything better than Mahut (they probably have an equally good volley), particularly serve and ROS. He also has a Rafa-like tendency (at least recently) to get tougher as the match goes on. I wouldn’t be that surprised to see Nadal take the first set and Sock the next two. In any case, I still give Sock the slight edge in this one.
Rafa is through to the QFs! Fist pump! ?
Can’t believe how well Fabio Fognini is playing right now and he’s going to beat Kei tomorrow, just maybe — Kei has a leg issue. Fabio winning another round puts him inside the top 30 just in time for Clay season.
Vamos RBA!
rc,
You echoed my thoughts! Fabio is on his game right now! Really playing great tennis! I am thinking he has a shot against Kei who has looked a bit vulnerable.
RBA going for extra on his forehand. At least he is trying so good stuff.
What a monster second serve from Fed on game point. Just 80 MPH but kicked like a mule !!