Rafael Nadal avoided a second consecutive five-setter by scraping past Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Monday night. Nadal, who outlasted Alexander Zverev in five this past Saturday, prevailed after two hours and 55 minutes.
It was a typical Monfils performance, as the Frenchman came out alarmingly flat, found a second gear to make things interesting, and then crumbled just when it looked like he would force a fifth set. Nadal recovered from a break deficit in the fourth to win the last four games of the match.
The ninth-ranked Spaniard finished with only 21 winners to Monfils’ 52, but he made only 27 unforced errors compared to the 64 off the Monfils racket.
“For me (it) means a lot because I [have started] the season playing (in the) quarterfinals in a Grand Slam again, especially on a hard court after a couple of years without being in this round,” Nadal explained. “(It) is great news; very happy with an important victory against a very good opponent.”
Nadal-Monfils highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGW1vyT65eY
Next up for Nadal is familiar foe Milos Raonic, who beat Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Wild momentum swings marked the first and second sets, beginning when Raonic battled back from a 5-1 deficit in the opening tiebreaker. The third-ranked Canadian promptly seized a break lead in the second only to donate serve twice from just about of nowhere. He therefore lost the second set but took control the rest of the way.
“This was up and down,” Raonic admitted. “Most of the match, it was quite inconsistent I think from both of us. I was sort of there on the brink in the end of the third set. then turned it around.”
“I think going to be a tough match for me, for sure,” Nadal said. “Hopefully for him, too. In Brisbane he beat me. But at the same time is true that I have been close. He’s an opponent that make you feel that you’re playing with a lot of pressure all the time because his serve is huge and he’s playing very aggressive from the baseline. But I hope to be ready for it. I need to be very focused with my serve and play aggressive. If I am not playing aggressive, then I am dead.”
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who ya got?
21 winners vs 27 ue for rafa not that good a stat
not bad, but definitely not good enough
Won’t cut it Ricky going ahead. Players ahead are all aggressive be it raonic or dimi or goffin or Stan or fed.
Btw Feds backhand is looking solid. He is hardly making errors off that wing. It held up very well against nishikori.
Rafa seemed to be aware of the challenge that Raonic presents. He knows that he has to be aggressive, serve well and also return well to try and get break chances.
We always knew that this would be a tough match for Rafa if he got that far. At least he is there and has the chance to compete and win.
Raonic beat him in Brisbane and that will give him more confidence. But Rafa has had two really satisfying wins against quality opponents. He has shown the ability to change his tactics and stay mentally tough. He is thinking out there.
I thought best case scenario was Rafa getting to the quarterfinals. He’s done it. Now I hope he can exceed my expectations.
I used to always feel that Rafa had the advantage in a best of five set match. Recently, that had not been the case. I espn they said that Rafa and Raonic have not played in a slam, so this will be a first. We will see if Rafa can get the better of Raonic in a best of five set match.
I just think objectively looking at it Raonic will be in all of Nadal’s service games and Nadal will be in few of Raonic’s and that will be the difference. Dimitrov(if he remains in current form), Raonic, and Federer look to be the only realistic threats left to win this event.
Wait, Raonic will be in all of Rafa’s service games? Nah, dont underestimate Rafa’s serves; its his serves that got him out of troubles in both Zverev and Monfils matches. Raonic not a good returner of serves.
Rafa is a better returner of serves than Raonic, he will have his chances (to break serve) provided he’s not being tentative when getting BP chances but goes for a more aggressive return for example.
Thank goodness that someone responded to the comment about Raonic being in Rafa’s service games. Someone has not been watching Rafa’s serve stats! There should be no assumption that Raonic will be in Rafa’s service games. That is too simplistic!
Rafa’s ROS has improved. I am not making any assumptions about this upcoming match.
Im also not sure that Dimi is that aggressive a player, or has a better ROS than Rafa. In fact Rafa has the best ROS among all those left in the draw.
I agree about Dimi. He is not among the favorites to win this. He has never won a slam. Rafa is a 14 time slam chdmpoin and can never be counted out!
Dimi has only recently gotten into decent form. But he does not have the physical and mental strength that Rafa does.
Rafa cant start playing aggressive tennis right away these days as hes not that confident yet.
I feel in this Monfils match, Monfils was the one who slowed things down right from the start by hitting moonballs to Rafa,and engaging in long rallies with Rafa, not the other way round. Rafa had to hit moonballs back at Monfils, he couldnt end the rallies with winners because Monfils was always there retrieving all the time!
Rafa was able to win the first two sets relatively easily because he was helped by his own good serving I feel. Its until Rafa played a poor service game and lost serve in the third set surrendering the set to Monfils that got Monfils all fired up in the fourth.
I do feel Rafa has to vary the way he returns serves, his court position while returning and where to hit or place the returns. I really want to see Rafa hitting a BHDTL ROS, when his CC returns would many times be intercepted by Raonic at the net. If he can vary his returns, that would put some doubts in Raonic, keeping him guessing.
I also hope for Rafa to take the initiative to move forward as often as possible, may not be now but hope he does that going forward when hes more confident.
Okay I won’t say exactly what I think and abide by the one match at a time rule. Rafa — worst case scenario, it takes 5 sets. But I see it in less. Raonic was frustrated by Gillou enough to have a hiccup but Rafa can get under his skin a lot more than Gillou did! I didn’t see the RBA match but Agut got a set. That’s enough cracks in Milos’ confidence – had he not dropped a set, I’d pick him. Bad luck to run into Rafa 😀
And I picked Raonic in my Bracket based on Raonic’s form in Brisbane, but seeing Rafa fight as he has past Sascha and LaMonf… I would not bet against him. Raonic is good, maybe great, but like Federer vs Kei, Rafa will know what to do and how to get it done. Kudos to Milos if he can show me I’m wrong and persevere but it’s going to take more out of Milos mentally and emotionally than from the 14 time GS champ, imo.
Good one, agreed!
rc,
Love you for sticking with the one match at a time rule! Not that you have to do it, but I am superstitious!
I like your analysis. It’s true that RBA is not Rafa! I also think you are right about HOW Rafa is winning. He is being smart and making adjustments and showing that fight and mental toughness that has been missing. The way he stepped up when Monfils made some bad shots and took the opportunity to break back, that is the Rafa we know and love! Then he held serve and broke again to close it out.
Rafa will need to continue serving well and try to not give up breaks early on. He will know that one break of serve could mean losing the set against Raonic. He will have to be aggressive and get good court positioning.
I am nervous about this match. I like your optimism. I just hope I get to see it live.
Thanks, Nny.
Rafa is a wise soul. And as others are pointing out…he’s got Raonic’s ex-coach — putting their heads together must be fun for them: Rafa and Carlos.
I saw them play in Abu Dhabi and Milos was no match for Rafa there. I have only seen highlights of their match in Brisbane so can’t really comment on that loss but as Rafa did miss a chance to go a set and a break up he could easily have won it. This will be their 1st BO5 encounter so Rafa has room to mess up a set. Rafa says he’s going to be aggressive and that’s what he’ll need to do as Raonic has a powerful forehand and has improved his movement around the court. Rafa has to try and hold serve every time.
Not making any predictions but hope Rafa comes out with the win.
QFs for Rafa, as NNY said, is already a feat in itself (after the hiatus) but I think this will go to 5 sets … just don’t know who’ll win it though 🙂
Shireling,
I can’t make a prediction either. I think it will be a battle for sure. This is the first time that they are playing in a Bof5 set match. This is where Rafa should have the advantage. We see how physical Rafa is and how he. So wear down his opponents. Can Raonic hang with Rafa in a Bof5 set match?
This could come down to Rafa’s mental strength and that will to win. He just refused to lose to Zverev. That is the quality thst has been missing.
All I am going to do is hope that Rafa wins. He did a great job to get this far. It would be great to see him get to the semis.
no one mentioning that moya is now helping nadal, he knows exactly how raonic plays…
yep. The Carlos Moya Bowl.
RBA is mentally weak and played lousy tennis on key points allowing Milosh to win the tiebreaker after leading 4:0! He also had a lead in the third set and let it slip away!
RBA had 10 break points, Simon had 6! This indicates some vulnerability of Milos who stands for serve bot If Rafa can serve well to stay confident in his own service games, he should be able to put a pressure on Milos’ serve to get a break. Milos has improved his game, he is not No 3 for no reason, it will be a tough match.,,
I know Rafa will fight! He is the hungry one out there! And I also put some faith in Moya who used to be Milos’ coach and should know to give Rafa some good advise..,
in how many different games did those break points come?
RBA in 6 games:
http://www.flashscore.com/match/CUdcIPNC/#point-by-point;1
Thanks augusta for these details!!
Natashao,
🙂
Rafa has that eye of the tiger again…he’ll win in 4.
Wavrinka has a shot too , nobody talking about him .. He already eon here i believe
He has, yes
Scoot Dimon 🙂 ..not many tigers in Mallorca; the biggest predator there are probably the gineta (Genetta balearica), a sort of weasel, or the wild cat (Felis lybica jordansi). He must have picked it up watching documentals or it runs in the family somehow 🙂
This is slam. Rafa will take it in 4 losing no more than 16 games, and will be definitely in the final. He just have to pray Fed beats Wawa to get 15th GS.
If Fed reaches the final it’s him who should pray Rafa is not in it.
I heard a whisper that Milos has been fighting the flu this week but havent seen that mentioned anywhere … any truth to that?
Mike S (AT 1:21 PM)
BBC mentioned it:
http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/38715060