Rafael Nadal will be back in action in Rio de Janeiro when he takes the court against Andreas Seppi as the second round concludes at the Olympics on Tuesday. Benoit Paire and Fabio Fognini are also part of the schedule.
(3) Rafael Nadal vs. Andreas Seppi
Nadal’s latest comeback from injury could not have started any better, as he dominated his opener at the Rio Olympics 6-2, 6-1 against Federico Delbonis on Sunday. That marked the 2008 gold medalist’s first match since round two of the French Open, after which he missed the remainder of the Roland Garros procedings and Wimbledon because of a wrist injury. Nadal is 18-2 in his last 20 matches, although that can be attributed in part to the fact that all of those were contested on red clay. This hard-court surface is not quite as advantageous for the Spaniard, but at the same time it is not a particularly bad one for him.
It has to be said that Nadal got a favorable draw in round one with Delbonis on the other side of the net. In two previous blowouts of the Argentine, Nadal had lost a total of seven games in four sets. Another favorable matchup awaits the third seed on Tuesday, when he will take a 6-1 head-to-head record into a second-round date with Seppi. Nadal has won their last four meetings and has taken their last eight sets, including the most recent four by scores of 6-1, 6-3, 6-1, and 6-2. Seppi earned another shot at the 14-time major champion by outlasting Illya Marchenko in a third-set tiebreaker this past weekend. The Italian will have to raise his level exponentially if he even wants to be competitive with Nadal.
Pick: Nadal in 2
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(16) Benoit Paire vs. Fabio Fognini
Paire and Fognini will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers at the main-tour level when they meet again on Tuesday. Both of their previous encounters have gone Paire’s way; 6-1, 6-4 on the clay courts of Belgrade in 2012 and 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 at last season’s French Open. At No. 32 in the world, the Frenchman is currently struggling to maintain seeded position for this year’s final Grand Slam–the U.S. Open. He is a disappointing 20-22 for his 2016 campaign but battled to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Lukas Rosol in round one of the Olympics.
Although Fognini has also struggled at 17-14 this season, he recently captured a title on the red clay of Umag. The 40th-ranked Italian made a quick turnaround and also transitioned surfaces at the Toronto Masters, where he beat Steve Johnson before losing to American qualifier Jared Donaldson. Fognini kicked off his campaign this week by battling past Victor Estrella Burgos 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-0. Obviously just about anything can happen in a match between these two mercurial performers, but the jury is still out on Fognini’s current form given that he beat no one ranked better than 72nd in Umag. If Paire can serve well enough to dictate play and bludgeon a steady diet of backhands, he should be able to survive a competitive contest.
Pick: Paire in 3
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WWW?
Fog in three and Nadal in two
Nadal in three.
From the other pair (no pun) ,take your pick on the day. Ill give Fog the edge because of recent form.
Rafa should get the win in 2 sets.
As for Fog and Paire, it’s a pick ’em. A toss up. I guess Paire should win this in 3 sets, but honestly it wouldn’t surprise me if Fog decided to go out there and play well enough to win.
When does Rafa play with his baby mama?
Nadal doesn’t play seppi lol
who do you think he plays? haha
Nadal in 2….Seppi is kind of an ideal opponent for him at this stage.
Can’t find any highlights on youtube..if they don’t allow others to post any, at least put some highlights yourself!!
Just looked at the draws. Rafa and Mugu both have very good chances for triple gold. If that happens just crown them King and Queen of Spain.
#RoyalCouple
I thought you had decided not to watch tennis?
Looking at the draw and watching are not the same thing. Please read more carefully next time.
but yes, I agree they have a decent chance
Mixed draw isn’t out yet
The mixed doubles draw will take place on Tuesday at 5 pm GMT/UTC.
Rafa/Garbine Muguruza are seeded #3 in the mixed doubles draw. (Source: Spanish Tennis Federation)
ITF Olympic Tennis:
https://twitter.com/OlympicsTennis/status/763036551823650816/photo/1
True. But what other team can boast 2 GS singles champions with 15 combined? I think their chances are great.
singles not really relevant to doubles.
Keep your mind focused, stay confident and be strong, Rafa!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cpa0na8WIAAtTy3.jpg
What about “enjoy the game and have fun. Rafa!”?
Now if he doesn’t enjoy the game and have fun, it will be all your fault!
Real Rafan doesn’t get it.
First you change your moniker and now referring to yourself in the third person.
#SlipperySlope
hawkeye, I am not a Real Rafan. Who are the Real Rafans? The group you address when you pass on your supposedly “authentic, straight from the horse’s mouth” news. Looking at their credentials, it appears the eligibility criteria to be a member is to claim you are a Rafan, bash Rafa and attack loyal Rafans. Real is as in Real Madrid, i.e. Royal. Real Rafans claim they are royal because they think bashing Rafa proves they are objective and hence intellectually superior (aristocrats) as opposed to loyal Rafans who are supposed to be blind and ignorant( peasants). Royals vs Loyals. I must admit though that in the absence of their leader (a Muzz fan posing as a Rafan), the Real Rafans seem to have lost some of their enthusiasm for bashing Rafa.
RITB doesn’t get it lol.
Real Rafan has egg on his face after the discovery that the “objective Real Rafan” leader bashing Rafa and Uncle T is a Muzz fan!
WTF has RITB been smoking?
Please to check your medication lol.
Poor Real Rafans! That should teach you not to trust sweet tongued trolls who gull you into bashing Rafa!
RITB’s mind has left the building.
I just got home to see that Rafa’s match is on. He’s just got the break to go up 2-0.
Unfortunately, I have an appointment and have to leave. But I am recording it so that I can see it when I get home.
Good luck, Rafa!
Amazing how hard and aggressive Rafa is hitting his backhand!
Can’t recall the last time he hit his backhand this aggressive and willing to change direction. He is a bit cautious with the forehand though and that is understandable.
All the work he has been doing on his backhand DTL paying off…the time off from tennis sometimes helps you develop some aspects and that might have happened for his backhand DTL this one…he is hitting is really well and going for it a lot more! I don’t feel any over reliance on the forehand in this match and that is a rare feeling in a Nadal match.
THe length on the forehand CC MUST improve….keep improving Rafa
Rafa is hugging the baseline…NOT willing to surrender court positioning.Very positive.
Too many DF’s from Rafa.
Three DFs (2 in 1st and 1 in 2nd) not so bad at all.
Better than none IMO.
Weren’t there 4 in total?
I am really happy about Rafa’s game and his attitude. He is playing with real determination ! May be the Olympics games push him even more to play his best. If you recall, he call steamrolled by Novak in Cincinnati 2008 in straight sets but once he met him at the Olympic games , it was a different Rafa and a different match.
Rafa’s forehand is loose but he is going for risky shots quite often which is COOL! He is trying to master a pattern of play : Hit deep, heavily spun CC forehands and once he has the depth he keeps moving toward the baseline to take forehand DTL on the rise! He has lacked this pattern in the past on many occasions. He is trying hard to master it.
Rafa;s second serve is even more secure now. Even with not the best of deliveries, he has won more second serve points (in % terms) in his career than Federer has !!! That’s because Rafa can guard his second serve so well….now with this new positioning, it is a bit more secure now I believe. He needs to be more offensive with the first serves though.
Vamos Rafa!
You are forgetting he e gave us all kittens by going walkabout in the 2nd set in the 2008 SF before storming back to win the match.
Haha..not forgetting…second set went by quickly… Novak swung way too freely and Rafa couldn’t pressure him…it was all business in set 3 😉
Yes, he is making forehand unforced errors but 95% of them are positive errors.
Rafa wins!
Vamos!
Rafa is through to R3. ✌ ✌
Vaamoos!
https://tenngrand.com/2016/08/08/olympics-r2-previews-predictions-nadal-vs-seppi-paire-vs-fognini/comment-page-1/#comment-133986