Rafael Nadal delivered a strong punch to rally past Jarkko Nieminen in R3 at the Mutua Madrid Open on Thursday, reaching the quarterfinals. This is Rafa’s 9th QF in twelve tournament appearances. Rafa will next face Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.
Date: Friday, May 9, 2014
START TIME: Not before 3:30 pm CEST local time (Spain, France, Italy), 2:30 pm BST (United Kingdom), 9:30 am EDT (New York). To convert to your local time, use this website.
Watch Online: Fromsport and ATDHE
Rafa and Berdych have met head to head a total of 20 times, with Rafa leading 17-3. Their last ‘meeting’ was in the Miami semifinal this year, from which Berdych had to withdraw due to illness, in a tournament that will remain in memory as the one in which both finalists made it by virtue of walkovers. Berdych has defeated Rafa three times, none of which were on clay. The last time was in Madrid in 2006; however, the tournament was played on hard court at the time.
Vamos Rafa!
Well things are looking good for RAFA two wins at MADRID so far…..but have to say his opponents have offered no challenge really, but its the next few games that will tell
David Ferrer as always is a big challenge for RAFA if he is not playing at his best, DAVID plays like a little bull terrier here there and everywhere always full of fight and energy, right now he’s playing ISNER and I bet he WINS….out of sheer determination….RAFA plays BERDYCH UP NEXT he is always good but hopefully RAFA will pull this one OFF and may meet GIRALDO who has been playing outstanding TENNIS and I believe he has beat RAFA in BRAZIL when he was making his comeback after injury…..and he just beat ANDY MURRAY and is looking like a big threat as we near the quarter finals….GIRALDO is the one I fear most up against RAFA…with all the others out like WAWRINKA and DIMITROV but also GULBIS can be a threat too, as I have said before, GULBIS blew him off the court here at MADRID once before in the first set perhaps it was last year or the year before, he won the first set in devastating form 6/1 firing shots faster then bullets to overpower RAFA no one watching that game would of thought that RAFA COULD POSSIBLY WIN FROM THERE….but miraculously he came back to win …..UNBELIEVABLE AND INCREDIBLE
but that’s our RAFA who does sensational things on the court like no other….so that is what I think….lets see how he goes against BERDYCH and how much his game can get better that will give us a good guide to ‘where he is at’ as FERRER AND GIRALDO will surely be his toughest opposition yet……..VAMOS RAFA…..AND AGAIN ‘KIA KAHA’ MAORI for BE STRONG…….