Karen Khachanov will be trying to ride his serve-forehand combination to a Wimbledon upset of Rafael Nadal on Friday. Benoit Paire and Jerzy Janowicz are also aiming for a place in the second week.
(4) Rafael Nadal vs. (30) Karen Khachanov
Nadal and Khachanov will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they collide in the Wimbledon third round on Friday. A lot of “firsts” have been coming for Khachanov of late, who is really starting to announce himself as a force to be reckoned with on the ATP Tour. The 21-year-old Russian is into the top 40 for the first time (broke in last month, currently at a career-high 34th), reached the French Open fourth round in his first main-draw appearance at that slam, and now finds himself in the last 32 of his first main-draw showing at the All-England Club. Khachanov fought hard to hold off Andrey Kuznetsov in five sets and Thiago Monteiro in four earlier in the week.
It’s safe to say the competition level ratchets up dramatically in the form of Nadal, who is 45-6 this season with four titles–including his 10th French Open triumph. The second-ranked Spaniard did not play any grass-court warmup events, but it’s also safe to say he knew what he was doing while making that schedule decision. Showing no grass-court rust, Nadal hammered John Millman 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday before beating Donald Young 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 in round two. Khachanov is more of the prototypical big hitter who can trouble the 15-time major champion on this surface, but grass may be his least favorite court right now because he has less time to set up for his forehand and is frequently forced to hit it out of his strike zone. This is an intriguing matchup on paper, but in reality it should be one-way traffic.
Pick: Nadal in 3 losing 11 games or fewer
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Benoit Paire vs. Jerzy Janowicz
Speaking of intriguing matchups, Paire vs. Janowicz pits two of the game’s most colorful characters against each other–and that is not where the similarities end. When healthy, they unofficially lead the tour in drop-shots attempted. They also possess some of the most ferocious weapons in the game, highlighted by Paire’s backhand and Janowicz’s serve and forehand.
Unfortunately for Janowicz and for tennis, he basically disappeared from the main tour after reaching the Wimbledon semifinals in 2013 and climbing to No. 14 in the world. The 6’8” Pole is finally making his way back from various problems and will be well inside the top 100 if he wins on Friday (currently 141st). So far this fortnight he has picked up four-set victories over Denis Shapovalov and 2016 quarterfinalist Lucas Pouille. Paire punched his ticket to the last 32 by beating Rogerio Dutra Silva in four and fellow Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in straights. These two veterans recently faced each other in last month’s Stuttgart quarterfinals, with Paire prevailing 6-1, 7-6(4) for his first ATP-level win over Janowicz compared to two losses. The world No. 46 is a decent 8-6 lifetime at this event, but he has only one victory over an opponent ranked better than 52nd in the world. On this surface, a confident Janowicz is arguably a top-10 talent. He just avenged a recent grass-court loss to Shapovalov and may do the same against Paire.
Pick: Janowicz in 4
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This may go to a TB.
Tight, tight………
This guy is in a good serving rhythm now.
Rafa has really wasted all those BP chances, he has to hold to get to TB now, if not he has to play another set! His intensity has dropped and Khachanov sensed that and up his own.
rafa’s really gone off the boil…
Rafa needs to hold to get to s TB.
This is very thought right now.
Very tight!
I think this is a good time for me to take a walk…………
Uh oh!
This is the first real pressure situation Rafa has been in.
TB it is.
jeez that was nerve wracking…. i need alcohol….
Rafa is really so nervous! That’s the problem when you keep losing early.
Wow! What a cc backhand!
Rafa is making us so tense! My goodness! Match point!
Game, Set, Match Nadal! Vamos!!
We got a scare! Congrats Rafa, into the fourth round now, so happy!
Yay!!! Rafa wins!
Into the fourth round!!!
Rafa just passed his first test!
Well done!
walk in the park still.
not going to lose a set until reaching final.
Bold statement right there
Once he reaches final, I’m good! And if he wins i’m better!!
Vaaamooos Rafa!!! ✌ ✌ ✌
Fist pumps!!! ? ? ?
Against Muller we can expect a similar scoreline.
Doubt it
So, since there will be no matches on Sunday, Rafa made it into the second week! Without losing a set! As far as Wimby is concerned Rafafans are happy enough for now with these small accomplishments. We will see next week if Rafa can extend his streak 🙂 Since the beginning of RG Rafa has now played 30 sets without losing one of them. Actually he played only 28 1/2 sets,since there was one early retirement of an opponent. But it is still a remarkable accomplishment on two very different surfaces.
Rafa’s level is good enough to take him to the final without loosing a set. He has improved his backhand this year, hitting it flatter and with more power and purpose. This has added more stability to his overall game.
You think he will drop no sets against Muller, Cilic, and Murray? Bro Fed is more likely to not drop a set to make the final along with a lot more likely to actually make it there. People making too much of this win over Khachanov lol. Plus he almost lost the third. Almost loses third set to Khachanov but he will for sure beat one of the most in form grass courters Muller in straights then an arguably even more in form grass courter Cilic in straights and then likely two time champion Murray in straights.
To be sure, Mark said Rafa’s level was “good enough” not that he would win in straights until the final. If it makes you happy I think Rafa will lose at least one set per match from here on out. That would be the “normal thing. Rafa blowing through RG without losing a set? Well, definitely NOT normal, even for Rafa.
Not even for Fed, lol!
littlefoot, if Rafa is clutch in his service game and holds everyone of them, and remains calm in his ROS, he really stands a chance of winning in straight sets, even against Muller and Cilic. Muller can falter; Cilic even more prone to falter. It’s really depends on how they play and how focused they are.
If Rafa loses a bit of concentration, he’ll lose serve, just like out of the blue, he served poorly to lose serve in the first set against Khachanov.
Cilic is beyond focused lately. Muller is beyond confident so I’m sure he will be focused too. I know for a fact Cilic will be locked in every match he plays rest of the tourney as he has so far. Muller isn’t always as locked in when he’s returning but Cilic has been on his toes and had laser like focus throughout this grass court season, including his first three matches here.
Benny G (AT 6:14 AM),
Cilic and Muller both lost their serve twice in R3.
You right I kinda misinterpreted as he was basically saying Rafa will for sure make it to final without dropping a set. I personally have Muller winning BUT there’s a lot of reason to back Nadal to make it to the final. He’s riding such a win streak.
Has Müller ever beaten Rafa? I think they had a few matches and Rafa won them all fairly convincingly. Correct me if I’m wrong. Why should it be different on Monday against an inform Rafa?
Muller had beaten Rafa at Wimbledon in 2005.
Thanks, Lucky. And that’s 12 years ago, when Rafa just came off his very first slam win. We will see how it goes this time. I don’t know if Rafa is able to do it in straits, but I don’t think he will lose against Müller.
Because grass.
We’ll see Benny; I watched Cilic vs Johnson, I’m not as convinced as you, that Cilic was laser sharp.
Not normal but Rafa done it three out or ten times when he won, that’s 30%, quite impressive.
On grass it’s almost impossible!
Well, but he didn’t lose the third. That’s the point. But I agree with you: it’s highly unlikely that Rafa will make it past Müller, and then maybe Cilic and Andy without dropping a set. But right now I’d say he certainly has the potential to beat the gusy who are still alive in his half.
Benny, of couse Rafa may lose a set here or there. But, that’s not my point. He is on a roll and looks like it will continue for some more matches. I am not really convinced about Muller though. He will be too tired to make it more competitive than what Khachanov did. Well, I may be wrong though. We will see.
The key is Muller’s serve bro. He will make it WAY more competitive than Khachanov. I stand corrected if he doesn’t but Muller is so confident right now. And he shouldn’t go out there feeling a lot of pressure so I’m sure he will have a good serving day. And we have seen Rafa hasn’t dealt with big servers too well in the recent past here.
Benny, it seemed to me you’re here hoping for Rafa to falter more than anything else! I really doubt Muller could trouble and best Rafa. Rafa is confident now and playing aggressive tennis.
You want to talk about Rafa not dealing well with big hitters, but first you have to look at how he played in all those circumstances! In any of those years — 2012-2015 — I hadn’t seen a confident Rafa, he was playing more a grinding brand of tennis even on grass! He wasn’t confident when playing on grass in all those years, more tentative than aggressive.
This year, though he’s nervous ( understandable cos he kept losing early at Wimbledon), he’s playing with some belief now, after rampaging through the clay season; he’s also playing a brand of more aggressive tennis, in fact a better brand of tennis imo than his 2008. His serve, return, FH, BH, volleying, overheads, slices, footwork, footspeed, all are top class and working well together.
I really like this Rafa, from the clay season onwards, he’s playing a brand of tennis that I think he should be playing since long time ago, like when he first played in 2003! I just hope he keeps this up for a long long time and let his fans and his detractors see what aggressive and offensive tennis he’s capable of playing.
I don’t want him to falter. I hate seeing Rafa lose to guys like Rosol and Darcis these past couple years at this event. But those recent performances lead me to believe he will lose before the quarters once again as he is playing one of the most in form grass courters on the tour.
Benny G (AT 6:16 AM),
Rosol & Darcis are Fedfans’ heroes. Otherwise they wouldn’t have kept mentioning them on daily basis (since they become their heroes). 😆
Nah augusta Rosol will never be my hero lol. Dude is the biggest jerk ever. His antics vs Rafa were beyond annoying and disrespectful and I’m still sad that asshole got that win over Nadal that day.
What recent performances are you talking about?
Rafa straight set everyone so far; Muller struggled vs Rosol. Muller took two plus hours to beat Bendene, and Bendene is no Rafa, so I’m not sure Muller’s recent performances here are that convincing either.
Cilic may be playing well, and he beats those he should beat, but, he’s not laser sharp either, having to go to TBs and 7-5 sets so often.
I do feel none of their (Muller’s and Cilic’s) opponents are of Rafa’s caliber, in terms of ROS, and tennis acumen. We’ll see who’s right when things unfold further along the way.
Recent Wimbledon performances. I mean how he’s done over the last five years.
3 down and into the 2nd week………
More than good enough for me.
Vamos!