Only two seeds remain in the top half of the Toronto draw, and they will square off in an intriguing quarterfinal on Friday. It’s Rafael Nadal vs. Marin Cilic, with the winner to meet either Karen Khachanov or Robin Haase in the semis.
(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (WC) Stan Wawrinka
Nadal and Cilic will be facing each other for the eighth time in their careers when they battle for a semifinal spot at the Rogers Cup on Friday. The head-to-head series stands at a somewhat modest 5-2 in favor of Nadal, but one of his losses came via retirement (in the fifth set at this year’s Australian Open) and the other was back in 2009. In his five victories, four of which have come on hard courts, the top-ranked Spaniard is 11-1 in total sets against Cilic.
Cilic appears to be running into a fully fit Nadal this time around, as the 32-year-old is 19-1 in his last 20 matches with a loss only to Novak Djokovic in a five-set semifinal thriller at Wimbledon during this stretch. Showing no signs of slowing down in his first hard-court event since the Aussie Open, Nadal thrashed Benoit Paire 6-2, 6-3 in his Toronto opener before holding off an improved Stan Wawrinka 7-5, 7-6(4) on Thursday night. Cilic booked his place in the last eight by beating Borna Coric in three sets and Diego Schwartzman in straights. The seventh-ranked Croat obviously wields the firepower with which hit Nadal off the court, but a lack of consistency has been an issue for Cilic in 2018 and he will likely fall victim to too many balls coming back–and coming back with heavy topspin–from Nadal’s side of the court.
Pick: Nadal in 3
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Robin Haase vs. Karen Khachanov
Both of Haase’s two career ATP titles have come in Kitzbuhel, but the Rogers Cup is quickly becoming his second favorite tournament (or third, as he is also a two-time runner-up in Gstaad). The 39th-ranked Dutchman made a semifinal run last summer in Montreal and he is through to the quarters this time around in Toronto following straight-set victories over Kei Nishikori, Mikhail Youzhny, and Denis Shapovalov.
Up next for Haase on Friday is a first-ever showdown against Khachanov, who also has not surrendered a single set this week. The 22-year-old Russian beat Filip Krajinovic, Pablo Carreno Busta, and John Isner en route to the last eight, winning each of his last three sets in tiebreakers. Khachanov has been solid but unspectacular in 2018, with plenty of victories but none over anyone in the top 15 since Halle more than a year ago. This should be every bit as competitive as the rankings suggest (Khachanov is one spot ahead of his opponent at No. 38), but a slight edge goes to Haase based on current form and his obvious confidence at this particular event.
Pick: Haase in 3
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who ya got?
Nadal in 3 Haase in 2
both in 3
Rafa and Khachanov in three.
Haase and Rafa in two
Karen Khachanov was too solid for Robin Haase. Straight set win for the Russian.
Rafa in 2, I’d guess. But Cilic…nah, Rafa in 2.
Nadal has a better chance of beating Cilic here. I was mighty impressed with Tsitsipas comprehensive win over Novak … http://www.138mph.com/rogers-cup-tennis-stefanos-tsitsipas-game-seems-better-rounded-and-more-aggressive-than-novak-djokovics/
Be focused, be confident, be strong, Rafa!
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Ricky, your heading says to your prediction says: Nadal vs Wawrinka.
Rafa getting a pasting at Cilic’s hands at the moment
rafa getting destroyed atm
Cilic seems to be in god mode today. Not seen since USO 2014
That’s true – have not seen Cilic dominate this way since USO 2014. But can he sustain it?
I underestimated Cilic. He’s about to win the first set.
Cilic has peaked two tournaments early 😀
haha…maybe. Right now I don’t believe my eyes.
Never underestimate Cilic, esp on HC (and grass).Rafa is shell shocked. Cilic is capable of in the zone tennis so often against anyone – he got a set 6-1 from Djoko v2 at IW one year. When he’s in the zone, you just have to let him be and then play better to weather the storm when he slowly gets out of zone.
Rafa doesn’t help himself with such poor first serve, and he’s hitting the ball short so Cilic could pounce on it at will. Rafa has to serve better, and varies the pace of the ball perhaps slicing the ball and not feeding Cilic with consistent pace.
Dang. I’m out right now, unable to watch but it sounds like Cilic is redlining. I’m happy for him to be playing at a high level after the disappointment of Wimbledon. Let’s hope Rafa comes back so we can have another tight three setter. Seems like we’ve gotten many of those this week and it’s made for a really exciting tournament.
Gosh, Marin celebrates the first set like he has just won the GS title! That is how much this means to him. Rafa not playing well, 1st serve % as low as 49% isn’t going to work against Cilic. Cilic playing faster, taking the ball early and hitting through Nadal clearly a winning formula tonight vs this Rafa who tends to make uncharacteristic errors on top of all…Rafa should slice Cilic more to slow him down and Ciilic doesn’t cope well with slices both Fed and Nole proved that when beating Cilic..,and Rafa should not rally with Cilic! Cilic is clearly way faster than Rafa tonight. Rafa a bit slow and lacking power..,
Vamos Champ!
I think Lucky is right. Cilic has taken the racket out of Rafa’s hands in this match. Rsfa must serve better. The ESPN commies mentioned his serve. Rafa came out so flat and Cilic was red hot.
So far in the second set Rafa seems to be serving better and holding his own. Not able to make a dent in Cilic’s serve.
nice rafa breaks to love
now facing 2 BPs
he erased both 😮
cant believe that shot by Cilic was out
Rafa must hold serve here.
Rafa has to serve better, when he gets his first serve in, he usually wins the point. See, two first serve in a row he wins to get back to deuce.
Come on, Rafa please serve properly!!
He came up with a rocket serve, Rafa did. Rafa wins the mental fight every time. The shock of the first set is gone.
Rafa living dangerously, very much dependent on how well he serves his first serves! Come on Rafa, hold serve to win the second set so that we can have a match.