No. 2 seed and two-time champion Rafael Nadal will be back in Wimbledon action when he goes up against Mikhail Kukushkin on Thursday. Nick Kyrgios and Robin Haase are also aiming for a place in the last 32.
Mikhail Kukushkin vs. (2) Rafael Nadal
Nadal and Kukushkin will be going head-to-head for the fourth time in their careers and for the second time at Wimbledon when they meet again in the second round on Thursday. All three of their previous encounters have gone Nadal’s way, he is 7-1 in total sets, and he has breadsticked Kukushkin on a whopping five occasions. The two veterans most recently faced each other at this same event four years ago, when Nadal prevailed 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.
Almost no one has been competitive with the Spaniard of late, although that can obviously be chalked up at least somewhat to the fact that the clay-court season just came and went–with Nadal capturing titles in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, and at the French Open. The world No. 1 maintained his fine form in his first official grass-court match of the season, hammering Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday. Kukushkin advanced by beating Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, improving to 4-1 in main-draw matches on grass in 2018. The 77th-ranked Kazakh defeated Alex De Minaur, David Ferrer, and Kyle Edmund in Eastbourne before succumbing to eventual champion Mischa Zverev in the semifinals. Kukushkin is a capable competitor on this surface, but–as his past woes in this matchup suggest–he does not wield enough power to hit Nadal off any kind of court.
Pick: Nadal in 3 losing 8-10 games
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(15) Nick Kyrgios vs. Robin Haase
Kyrgios and Haase took similar routes to the Wimbledon second round at the expense of dangerous grass-court players. In a somewhat expected serving duel with Denis Istomin, Kyrgios pocketed the only break of the entire day midway through the fourth set and got the job done 7-6(3), 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 6-3. Haase held off Marius Copil 7-6(0), 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4). The result is their second-ever showdown on Thursday, with Kyrgios having won their only previous contest 6-3, 6-4 on the red clay of Estoril in 2015.
On the opposite side of the draw from Roger Federer and Marin Cilic, Kyrgios is a trendy pick to reach the final–and he just may do it if he can remain healthy. Returns on grass are so far encouraging, as he missed the clay-court swing but got right back in gear to reach semifinals in Stuttgart (lost to Federer in a third-set tiebreaker) and Queen’s Club (lost to Cilic in two tiebreakers). Haase played all three weeks in the buildup to Wimbledon and made second-round exits on all three occasions (to Bernard Tomic in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, to Roberto Bautista Agut in Halle, and to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in Halle). Another round-two ouster is likely in the cards, because Kyrgios’ serve should be too big in the pressure moments and Haase is not as skilled in tiebreakers as his result against Copil suggests.
Pick: Kyrgios in 3
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I hope Rafa doesn’t just stay at the baseline to rally all day. I hope he plays like in his first match, ie approaches the net often and shortens points.
I notice in both the men’s and women’s matches, players are playing baseline games like it’s on other surfaces; I think not many players feel comfortable coming forward to the net, unless they’re used to playing in doubles matches, or they’re the older batch of players who have played during the S&V era, like Feli or Ivo.
WWW?
Kyrgios and Rafa in three
Play is suspended, rain forecast for today and tomorrow. May cool things down for awhile, but forecast is for scorching heat afterwards.
Nadal in 4
Kyrgios in 4
Kukushkin is playing well enough and goes OK on Nadal’s weakest surface.
Kyrgios has played a lot of tough matches the past 2 weeks.
He is due for a bad one and Haase is due for a good.
Nick Kyrgios Denis Istomin 7-6 7-6 6-7 7-6
Marin Cilic Nick Kyrgios 7-6(3) 7-6(4)
Nick Kyrgios Feliciano Lopez 7-6(5) 7-6(3)
Nick Kyrgios Kyle Edmund 7-6(3) 6-7(5) 6-3
Nick Kyrgios Andy Murray 2-6 7-6(4) 7-5
Roger Federer Nick Kyrgios 6-7(2) 6-2 7-6(5)
Nick Kyrgios Feliciano Lopez 6-4 3-6 6-3
Nick Kyrgios Maximilian Marterer 6-4 4-6 6-3
Kukushkin gonna spoil the party
Keep your mind focused, remain confident and be strong, Rafa!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DhVJmYOXkAIjRpa.jpg
I hope Kukushkin doesn’t get under Rafa’s skin
(couldn’t help it)
So sloppy from Rafa at 3-0 0-30!!
Lost 6 points in a row with sloppy play!
So he should have been up 4-0 and now he gives kukushkin belief and loses his serve!
Maybe Rafa get a little nervous amy…Kukushkin applied a ‘go for broke tennis’ atm…He’s unsettled Rafa & maybe will take a while for him to righted the wrong…
Rafa was in complete control mira!
He let kukushkim back in!
Yeah amy!…Nerves certainly playing a big part of it..
But why be nervous at 3-0 0-30!!!
Kukushkin was on the ropes!
I guess it’s the same reason when he lost to Fognini at USO 2015 when leading 2 sets 0 amy…
This isn’t 2015 mira!!
He just won RG!
I know amy!…But the crumbs of it still live happily in Rafa’s mind imo…Once in a while it will come out especially if certain circumstances happen…And Wimby is not RG amy…It’s on grass where he’s vulnerable the most…
Yes it’s all true Mira!
Great description!😀
Hahaha…Okay Boss!!..<3
Great second serve on break point but honestly!! He is his own worst enemy!
Rafa’s serve having problem again. I don’t understand why he serves so well in his second service game and then back to poor serving again.
Ok holds to love ! That was better!
Rafa is playing awful tennis so far.
Ffs! 2 backhand slices into the net!
But Kukushkin handed the set to him!
Why is moya not with him?
He only has roig there…
Good question
I want moya there mona!
He is so good for rafa!
Rafa needs to work on that serve or else!
lets focus on the positive , 1st set to Rafa 🙂
Nice play from rafa to break!!
Gosh the Nazi hugger is in trouble!
Go Guido!!