A blockbuster third-round contest in Monte-Carlo will pit Rafael Nadal against Alexander Zverev on Thursday. A place in the quarterfinals will also be at stake when Stan Wawrinka continues his campaign against Pablo Cuevas.
(14) Alexander Zverev vs. (4) Rafael Nadal
Nadal and Zverev will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they clash in the third round of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Thursday. Their two previous encounters have not disappointed. Nadal survived 6-7(8), 6-0, 7-5 at the 2016 Indian Wells Masters, where Zverev infamously bricked an easy volley on his own match point. The 19-year-old German, who in fact turns 20 on Thursday, came close again at this season’s Australian Open before going down 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 as Nadal eventually made his way to the final. Roger Federer ended the Spaniard’s run Down Under and toppled him again in Indian Wells (fourth round) and Miami (title match). Nadal has otherwise been stellar in 2017, with a 20-2 record against opponents not named Federer following his 6-0, 5-7, 7-3 victory over Kyle Edmund on Wednesday.
Although it is still early, arguably no one has been better this week than Zverev. The world No. 20 is through to last 16 without the loss of a set and he did not even come close to dropping set in routs of Andreas Seppi and Feliciano Lopez. Zverev is 13-6 for a season that has been highlighted by a title in Montpellier and a quarterfinal performance in Miami. This will not be easy for Nadal, but he should showcase more consistency in his second clay-court match of the year and maintain the kind of level that was on display in his opening set against Edmund.
Pick: Nadal in 2
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(3) Stan Wawrinka vs. (16) Pablo Cuevas
Like Nadal, Wawrinka also endured a scare in his Wednesday opener but battled to a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win over Jiri Vesely–who upset Novak Djokovic at this tournament last spring. The third-ranked Swiss captured the Monte-Carlo title in 2015 to go along with one other semifinal finish (2009) and three quarterfinal showings.
Wawrinka is one victory away from another appearance in the last eight, but his form has been unspectacular of late (15-5 record this season with no titles) and Cuevas is one of the best dirt-ballers in the business. Although the 27th-ranked Uruguayan is just 10-6 this year, he captured a clay-court title in Sao Paulo–for his sixth career winner’s trophy and sixth on the red stuff. Cuevas has advanced this week by taking out Viktor Troicki and Joao Sousa in easy straight sets. Unfortunately for the 16th seed, he is just 3-10 lifetime against top-10 opponents and is 0-3 in his last three such efforts.
Pick: Wawrinka in 3
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Stan the Baby down a set and a break.
#MirkasRight
Wawa out as well! I knew Cuevas could bring the upset here, but expected a three setter grueling match…
Urgh!A day of upsets!!..Hope our rafa will survive to see another day..
Stan lost as I expected. Cueves is playing very well and in good form whilst Stan was struggling even against Vesley.
Welp, the title should undoubtedly be Rafa’s if he comes out of his half.
There’s another guy in the draw that Rafa hasn’t even taken a set off in almost three years, seven matches and 15 sets.
So “undoubtedly” is not a word to be used with Rafa (until he proves otherwise).
By the way Kev, why did you ask Ricky for my e-mail address?
That’s why I said, “should he come out of his half”!
Excuse me, …if he comes out of his half.”
Because I didn’t want to have to ask you for your email address for everyone to see… But so much for that haha! 🙂
Don’t mind me. Just being paranoid.
Thanks, I can take that extra layer off my tinfoil hat.
#1984
Just caught the end of the match. WaWa seemed distracted, almost uninterested in the outcome.
Maybe he’s saving his energy for Roland Garros.
What a topsy, turvy MC this is proving to be.
Wow, one of @AlbertRamos88, @Cilic_Marin, @PabloCuevas22 and @La_Pouille will make the MC final. They have one clay Masters semi final appearance combined (Pouille 2016 Rome) in their careers.
“Time violation – warning, Mister Nadal”
Brilliant use of drop shots. Toying with Zverev!
2nd serve return is spot on so far
and of course much better serving. Solid from the baseline.
Beautiful drop shots, indeed! Great first set from Rafa!
Vamos!
holy shitttt that forehand CC from Rafa at BP was SICK.
Stars are aligned here for Rafa to take his tenth title. He should win this event. Stan and Murray out and Nole struggling mightily with his confidence. Plus Rafa crushing Zverev at the moment. Nice to see the badass back in business. Vamos Rafa!!
Darren CahillVerified account @darren_cahill 5m5 minutes ago
Alex way too loose vs Rafa today. Been in every game but blown leads with UFE. Rafa very sharp. FH is jumping again. Great early clay signs
Wow! Brilliant DTL FH! ???
Vamos!
For Stan, losing early at lead-up tournaments has proven to be fairly irrelevant to how he will play at majors… Like in 2015 when, save for a Rome semifinal run, he lost early in every single tournament between Rotterdam and RG haha. Then he showed up at RG and blew people off the court. After his semifinal showing in Rome, people may have given him more props going into RG, but then he goes to Geneva the week before RG and loses early in a damn 250! He’s so unpredictable. Even at US Open last year, nobody was picking him to win it. So although losing early is never good for anyone going into a major, it seems to be less of an issue for Stan…
As for Murray, I think that he is a player who generally DOES need to do well at the run-up tournaments in order to play his best at the majors. I was actually of the opinion that Andy should skip Monte Carlo all together to give him the maximum amount of time to recover from his elbow injury. I was pretty surprised that he decided to play the tournament. So while it’s not good for him to have lost early, it could turn out to help him physically, since now he will have a few weeks to recover before Madrid. He could obviously make a full recovery and start playing really well again in time for Roland Garros, but I am personally doubtful that he will be a real factor at Roland Garros. I just don’t really see him getting his body back fully post-injury, and getting his level of tennis high enough, to truly challenge for Roland Garros… I also know that anything can happen, so I would never count him out completely. I just don’t like his chances much at this point.
This title is so Rafa’s for the taking at the moment… Unless he still has a mental block against Novak should they meet in the final, this trophy is just waiting for Rafa’s hands…
They are in the same half of the draw, certainly won’t meet in the finals ?
Sorry, I meant semifinal. 🙂
Is it just me, or is this the best match start-to-finish Rafa has played this year so far?
Kev…You’re soooo spot on buddy!!If u can see me now,i’m grinning like a cheshire cat who just ate a bird steak for breakfast!hehe…
So Rafa in 2 easy sets. I knew Rafa would rise his level (which he did significantly) but I expected Zverev to play better. But, his previous opponents played really bad so this was a different proposition.
Felt like the old days. An opponent who can give and has given Rafa trouble on hard courts plays him on clay and it turns out to be a lop-sided affair.
Rafa was really good today and he will only improve from here.
It won’t be wise to bet against Rafa winning his 10th title here.
He has further strengthened my belief which I showed before the start of the tournament. I hope he continues the winning ways. Vamos!
Me: Rafa in three. Rafa: screw you I’m losing two games.
I just saw the end of Rafa’s match! Even though I missed it I so happy to hear that he played well! They were talking out it on the tennis channel!
I just happy that Rafa played well and is looking more like his formidable self!
I am so happy!
Cue as beat Stan!
Too many typos in my last post. Typing too fast! But I am just very happy that Rafa played well!
Both Stan and Murray out! We are getting closer to Rafa and Novak!
Rafa is through!! Woot woot!! ?