Rafael Nadal will be back in action against Jerzy Janowicz on Thursday in Paris. Janowicz, who tested Nadal this summer in Montreal, reached the final of this event last year.
Rafael Nadal and Jerzy Janowicz will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they collide in the third round of BNP Paribas Masters on Thursday. Their only previous meeting came this summer on the outdoor hard courts of Montreal, where Nadal prevailed 7-6(6), 6-4.
As that competitive affair indicates, Janowicz is always a dangerous opponent–especially on a fast surface. In fact, the 6’8” Pole went all the way to the Paris title match last fall, upsetting Andy Murray in the process before finally losing to David Ferrer. Janowicz has been up and down in 2013, but a 27-19 record has him at No. 14 in the world and will keep him either in or near the top 20 even if he loses to Nadal. He opened on Tuesday with a 7-6(3), 6-3 victory over Santiago Giraldo.
Nadal kicked off his week on Wednesday evening by getting the best of fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers 7-5, 7-5. This is the world No. 1’s fourth appearance at the tournament and first since 2009. Almost unarguably this is Nadal’s best chance for a Paris Masters title, and not only because he is at last armed with a clean bill of health at the tail end of a season. The top seed is an awesome 69-5 and he already owns four hard-court winner’s trophies (10 total) in 2013.
After being solid but unspectacular against Granollers, Nadal will have to pick up the pace against an opponent who has far more firepower from everywhere on the court–especially on serve.
“I have to improve a lot for tomorrow,” Nadal assured. “I hope to be ready to do it. Tomorrow will be a tough match. I had a very tough one against him in Montreal this year. I’m going to try to play aggressively; play with more intensity than what I did today.”
Nadal had trouble doing that against Janowicz in Montreal, dropping serve twice while often finding himself on his heels at the back of the court. Janowicz made that one close despite serving at a horrendous 48 percent and tossing in nine double-faults. Improvement in those areas will almost certainly make for another tense encounter even though Nadal’s hard-court confidence should be even greater now than it was back at the very start of his summer hot streak.
Pick: Nadal in 2 with at least one tiebreaker
[polldaddy poll=7520894]
JJ for the upset.
#First
Rafa in straight, although I love watching JJ play tennis.
AntiJJinx
#Third
No way am I betting against Rafa! Even with a guy like JJ, I think Rafa is motivated and ready to do something this year in Paris. Thank goodness his serving was much improved, He will have to continue serving well.
Rafa said what he has to do. He knows what it’s all about.
I think Rafa will win in 3.
I want to think that Rafa has enough hard court confidence to deal with guys like JJ. I also think that Rafa is here on business and that if he does not make it happen against Janowicz he would then have no business at the WTF either. We should lay some confidence and trust in our Rafa. Yes, Paris court is of no help and the crowd will most likely be behind JJ (who must have been ready to tear his shirt off, if needed…) but still we are talking about the No1 who has had a great season and who is employing some new tactics although it may not be obvious to everybody, just those who follow Rafa closely all his life… 🙂
I believe Uncle T will again smile today…Rafa needs to serve well which he will and should by no means let JJ win a set…
Vamos Rafa!
—After being solid but unspectacular against Granollers—
“I didn’t play well tonight,” he [Rafa] said after the match. “That can happen after two weeks without playing and after such a long time without playing indoors on this kind of surface. But Granollers did a lot of things well. The rhythm of my legs was poor, I’m slower than usual and I made a lot of mistakes. I went into the match knowing that it was not going to be easy. But this is not the best feeling to start a match.”
Today is a new day.
Firstly. Since when did Rafa ever start off with a bang in the Majors and Masters?
He learnt from Roger how to pace himself for the important tourneys. He knows Granoller’s game inside out and knew exactly when to bring the hammer down.
Secondly. He is almost always deprecating about his own performance in the early rounds. He was not showcasing his very best. He didn’t need to.
#Smokescreen
ed251137, on another thread you mentioned that Rafa is not wearing that hideous shirt on court, I believe that abomination is reserved for the practice courts.
^^^^^^TGFT
I was afraid Nike had taken complete leave of their senses.
BTW: They must have tweaked the shorts. They are fractionally fuller on the thighs and Rafa was not adjusting them at the crutch every few seconds.
That saves him precious seconds in the pre-serve ritual 🙂
ed,
I noticed the shorts when I saw Rafa’s match with Granollers. Yes, the fit seems to have been adjusted to give him a bit more room in the thighs. They look really good.
I love Rafa’s outfit! That color blue is simply gorgeous on him!
Thank goodness, no snakeskin!
hey, don’t be so harsh on Nike…I actually think that they invented that snake-like shirt to anti-jinx Rafa in Paris… 🙂
Vamos Rafa!
They can dress him in a snake-print mermaid suit for all I care…………….as long as he wins. If he loses dressed appallingly, watch out, Nike!
Vamos Rafa!
I think Novak and his new coaching consultant, Mr. Fibak, are a match made in heaven:
RT @Rob_pal: “It’s Nadal, not Janowicz, who should be worried about his draw in Paris – says Mr Fibak.”
#FootInMouthDisease
“wisdom” at its best…
Fibak has clearly been hired as a Spin Doctor
Oh, don’t say anything against Fibak! After the US Open final, he compared Rafa with Chopin, calling him a genius, who was created for winning tennis matches. When Rafa took that tumble, Fibak admired him for his grit. I almost expected Novak to fire Fibak after those treacherous remarks, lol! Fibak’s remark about the draw probably just reflects admiration for a fellow Polish player. And, to tell the truth, I rather wish, Rafa wouldn’t have to play him that early but I guess, if Daveed could beat him ore than once, Rafa can do so, too.
Actually, I finally watched the match last night and thought Rafa played well. My JJ pick was made before I watched the match and based on the score only vs a guy I thought Rafa should have not lost 10 games to.
I hereby revise my pick.
Rafa for the win.
#SubjectToChangeAtAnyTime
Now I realise why you made the comments you did last night. The scoreline was slightly misleading,
Rafa, looking like the Martin Sheen character in “Apocalypse Now”:
https://twitter.com/EllaLing23/status/395926814817677312/photo/1
Go get ’em tiger!
Vamos!!
T.Berdych, who is in Rafa’s half of the draw, made many people happy – his victory over M.Raonic means that S.Wawrinka and R.Gasquet have qualified for the WTF and JW. Tsonga is an alternate.
That’s what I would call a good outcome.
Keep calm, stay concentrated, be confident and show your fighting spirit, Rafa!
still got a while to go.
#Gasquet
looks like a hard day at the office for rafa!
Just like in Montreal, I think we’re going to be seeing a zillion drop shots from Jerzy again.
How’s Rafa looking game-wise, folks? Don’t have access to a live stream, thank God!
Geez, that last wide ace serve by Jerzy was 140 mph.
ritb,
Rafa is serving well. He’s had two tough service holds. He can’t get much going on JJ’s service games, although in the last one he at least got it to 30-30 before JJ blasted a few big serves.
JJ has brought his game and is going to make this tough.
RITB: Similar to Montreal. It’s going to take a bit for Rafa to get a handle on Jerzy’s serve. Jerzy already hitting that annoying drop shot quite a bit, but Rafa’s dealing with it ok.
I always have trouble with the serve speeds because it’s in kilometers. So 225 is 140 mph? That was what I saw on the scoreboard. I knew it was more than 130 mph.
I hope that JJ starts missing with those big serves. There is tremendous pressure on Rafa to hold his serve.
Yes, 225 is 140 mph.
The commies are saying that Rafa has to find a way to deal with the big serve. I don’t know how you return aces, though.
Jerzy’s serve is going to have to drop off. Just served 4 aces in a row. Rafa never even got a racquet on them.
Thank you @nny and @Jpacnw. Reading on other blogs that JJ has brought his A game, tallies with your take. Let’s hope JJ drops his concentration a tard and Rafa takes advantage.
Vamos Rafa!
The good news is that Rafa is also serving well.
Am catching up on the ATP scoreboard which is supposed to be live but it is so frustrating because it is not updating the scores automatically as it usually does, I am having to refresh continuously!
‘Rafa has to find a way to deal with the big serve’
Monumental statement of the obvious…………….
NNY: JJ doesn’t usually manage to keep up that level of serving for the whole of a match. And once his serve wavers he starts hitting balls wildly and clocking up the errors.
We have to hope for Rafa’s sake this evening is not an exception.
Geez louise, that last serve was just over 145 mph. No way to return it. I’m not looking forward to a tiebreaker.
honestly! with these serves I don’t have much hope! he is too good! better than isner!
JJ was kind of strutting after hitting his biggest serve of the tournament. He showed off his biceps to the crowd as they cheered.
That’s why I don’t like this guy. Arrogant.
I hope his serve starts to drop off because right now Rafa can’t do a thing against him.
This is nerve wracking. But thank goodness that Rafa is serving very well!
JJ better taper off now before he finds himself on my dislike list……….
noooooo! that break point! what did he do!!!!!!!
Rafa breaks!!!!!! My nerves are already shattered.
yeaaaaaaaaah 😀
vamos
2nd time lucky. I was afraid Rafa would be dead in the water if it went to a TB
Yes, I am a wreck! When Rafa missed that shot on break point I thought it was over. But Rafa is returning serve much better and JJ is not making first serves. He’s gone off a bit.
Rafa was so focused. YAY!!!
Now Rafa has to serve it out for the first set.
ritb,
Don’t worry, JJ is tapering off a bit. Just enough to give Rafa a shot at the break and he got it!
Now Rafa serving for the first set! Fingers crossed!
no worries laddies… the rafa boy will treat you nice… (but maybe not your nerves 🙂
And Rafa uses his classic one-two punch to seal the set!!!!
Bless his little cotton socks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yippee!! Rafa wins the first set! Wow, that was a nailbiter! Thank goodness Rafa’s shot was in to make it 40-30 instead of break point for JJ.
Now I can relax a bit. This has been hard on the nerves!
Rafa looks so focused and pumped! He did a little fist pump and a jump up on the court when he won the set.
Will JJ fall apart or will he just come out blasting in the second set? Some clutch serving and great play from Rafa.
Thanks @nny. Please suffer for me too, don’t think I can take any more. I will check in later……………
#IHateJJ
Yesssssssss!
vamos!
Oh yeah!!!!! Breaks the first service game!!!!!! At love!!!!!
Rafa breaks straight away in the 2nd set. How good is that?
I’m glad to hear it didn’t go a-tiebreaking. Now off to home. I hope that by the time I get there the second set and the match will be done and dusted with no breaking of no ties.
For ******* sake what the **** is Rafa doing
I cant believe those idiots in the commentating box……………yack, yack, yack
I don’t know how Rafa managed to get broken.
Unbelievable! Rafa made a few errors and gets broken right back. Not good! He had JJ on the ropes and now just let him back in the game.
JJ holds to make it 2-1. This is going to bite Rafa big time!
Yes, Rafa what are you doing?
I wish the commies would shut up!
You just can’t relax for a minute.
Rafa was lucky to win that last game, Unforced errors by Jerzy.
Rafa breaks again……………..please hold on to your serve now.
Yes, JJ self-destructed. He is so mercurial on the court.
Now please Rafa, hold your serve! Get this done in two sets.
That was an odd game. That 2nd serve on the double fault for Jerzy was a mile wide. I’ll take the game for Rafa, though.
I kind of felt it coming. I sense that JJ was unraveling.
Oh goodness, 15-30. Rafa please hold your serve!
I never knew I’d miss the SKY commies. Being in Dubai atm, I have to listen to these cretins.
Oh no. 30-40. Break point.
Rafa just got a time warning.
Thank goodness Rafa holds.
how’s the quality
Very high quality, Ricky.
Ragged in places from Rafa but overall he’s playing well. Erractic from Jerzy.
How the heck did he save that BP?
That last game gave me an ulcer.
Jpacnw,
Me, too!
NID
^^^^ this
Knock, knock……..is everybody alright in here? Can someone explain to me what the hell was going on in the 2nd set? Was Rafa losing his mind or was JJ that good?
and so the last 8 in Paris is an exact preview of London
UNBELIEVABLE
ritb,
Rafa had some ragged services games in the second set. He let JJ back in after breaking him in his first service game with a few errors. Then he got the break back and held until his last service game at 5-4. That was a nightmare. Rafa double faulted twice in that game!
JJ had a few break points, but somehow Rafa held serve to finally get the win. Very nerve wracking stuff!
I will say that Rafa’s backhand let him down in this match. He was missing with the dtl backhand at some key points in the match. That and the four double faults are the only problems I saw.
Yes, I just noticed that the last 8 in Paris are the exact lineup for London.
WOW!
So Rafa will move on and play Gasquet next. I think he has a good shot to get to the final.
Thanks @nny. Yes, sounds like Rafa had mini nervous “breakdown”. I think Rafa really wants to win Bercy and the enormity of what he has achieved this season is beginning to dawn on him. Beating a big server like Jerzy in Bercy is no small feat either.
I think Uncle T is going to calm him down and finish this…….
I expect a calmer, crisper Rafa tomorrow.
Vamos!
I hate to say it, but Rafa had an attack of the heebie jeebies. Never ever seen him wobble quite like that before when in a winning position. He threw in two double faults in the closing moments and 14 of the UFs came in that set. JJ was hitting out with nothing to lose. Some of his shots were awesome. Luckily more of them went out than went in.
^^^^^14 out of a total 18 UFs
Those double faults were killing me, although I think it’s as the commentators said….Rafa was a bit spooked by some of those faster than the speed of light returns on his 2nd serve, so he was going for more.
I was emotionally exhausted after the match, but I am sooo happy Rafa won.
I always say it’s so great but in the same time so demanding on your body and your soul to be a Rafan…Gosh, it was for heart attack…draining last game…those double faults came out of nowhere…but some of Rafa’s shots were pure determination…love it! Love the animal in him! Love you Rafa!!!
Vamos Rafa!
natashao,
We do have to hang in there with Rafa during these tough moments in matches. It’s a great feeling when he wins, but at the same time as fans we can feel so drained at the end.
Again, so nice to have you here! 🙂
I definitely think that Rafa had a bad case of nerves. Rarely do you see him double fault two times in one game. He knew that this match would be tough against a guy like JJ. It’s only his second match and his timing isn’t quite there.
Fortunately, JJ did miss some of his shots. He has the kind of game where he just goes for it and that will result in high UE’s. He also has a tendency to self-destruct, as was the case when he double faulted away the break.
I am drained now, but so happy that Rafa won. I felt that this might be his biggest challenge. This win will give him a lot of confidence going forward. I like his chances here.
We are going to be treated to some great match ups in the quarterfinals.
the quarterfinal draw is hilarious.
Ricky,
I have no idea what you are talking about. I think the quarterfinal draw is great.
oh it IS for Rafa!
Oh I get it. 🙂
i mean, it is a JOKE.
Rafa OWNS all three of those people. All four of the players on the other side are more dangerous than the other 3 on Rafa’s side.
Ricky,
Yes I get it!
I mean the draw is a joke. Not I was making a joke!
But Berdych could be as much trouble to Djokovic and Federer if he was in the bottom half of the draw.
exactly my thoughts…I was just commenting how great the draw looks for Rafa right now when I read Ricky’s comment…I mean, let’s be realistic: none of the matches are easy when you are in the quarters…but if Rafa was asked to chose his next opponents I bet he would have it lined up the same…good for Rafa since he did have the tough one with JJ…I knew Rafa would do just about anything to prevent JJ from wining the set and that is exactly why Rafa was so nervous…but HUGE win in two for him…now he should just stay focused…and I am hoping for the Rafa vs. Fed final… 🙂
Vamos Rafa!
Nadal-Gasquet preview – https://tenngrand.com/2013/11/01/paris-qf-previews-and-picks-nadal-vs-gasquet-ferrer-vs-berdych/
Like I said, never in doubt.
490.
I assume this is the amount of points Rafa needs to secure the year end #1 ranking?
@8:52am ––I am hoping for the Rafa vs. Fed final––
So are the tournament organisers!
If it comes to pass I’m fascinated to see if the crowd are still as fervent in their support for Federer. So far this week I have the impression they have finally embraced Rafa.
if Fed reaches the final I say he deserves to be supported by the crowd…and am I sure Rafa will also have enough of his fans lined up…it would be such an inspiring event for all: Fed, Rafa and the fans…and great occasion to revive the memories of the best rivalry ever…
But, let us go back to reality…one match at the time…Gasquet next…
Two down, three to go!
Vamos Rafa!
Hahaha, Uncle Toni! Careful, people might say you are taking a dig at some people:
“Rafael plays better outside, it’s the truth. It is a bit more tactical , it does not like to play too fast. He does not like to play shots without thinking , boom boom , too fast.”
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vam%C3%B4s-Rafael-Nadal/148883365132821
#Miew
U. Toni is telling it as it is, no?
Happy Rafa won the match! Cant remember the last time Rafa seemed so nervous but I can understand. Its amazing how whenever Rafa plays he is always exposed to “all or nothing tennis” from his opponents! It must be so tough to have to deal with that so mcuh of the time. I dont see any of the other player having to face that type of adversity! Its always so differnet with, Rafa, Poor thing, he deals with it so well!! But Vamos!!!
Ricky, I like the screen caps. This site is emerging into the snazziest tennis site on the web. We badly need some opposition to Rafans, but not the nasty kind.
^Yes!! on both accounts.