World No. 5 Rafael Nadal advanced to the semifinals of the Rio Open without hitting a ball after Alexandr Dolgopolov withdrew due to a right shoulder injury.
Rafa will take on 45th-ranked Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, who defeated Federico Delbonis 6-4, 7-6(4).
Date: February 20, 2016
Match time: Approximately 8.30 PM local time / 10.30 PM GMT – United Kingdom / 11.30 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 5.30 PM EST – New York, Montreal / February 21, 9.30 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Watch online: 3pmstream
Rafa and Pablo will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers. Last year they faced off in the quarter-final of the Rio Open, with our champ coming out on top, winning that encounter in three sets.
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Hamburg Germany |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal |
63 62
|
| 2015 | Rio de Janeiro Brazil |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal |
46 75 60
|
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
I’m a 59 year old woman, and a crazy Rafa fan from the first day! But the last events make me not only sad but angry! Every champion, every team must change something, if you are in a situation like Rafa! Rafa can’t always say ” i only lost a opportunity”! I think that he should have a little bit more respekt from his fans and change something in his team or stop his carrier! To see Ra fa in this disperate conditions, is a terrible thing for every Rafa fan. So it can’t go on! What thinks Rafas father Sebastian about? He woud be the right person to say to his brother and Rafas uncle TONI to go and to let Rafa free!!!!
Any Rafa fan out there who still try to find some positives in Rafa game is blind and does not want to face reality as Rafa himself. Rafa need to add a legend to his coaching staff for a change, i just can’t believe that he still takes his losses with a grain of positivity and tries to congratulate his opponents for playing a great match. Rafa c’mon, you are wasting your career and you have the opportunity to catch Federer gs numbers. Why wouldn’t you try something different?
Toni is the best coach in the world. All these loses is just a tactic to lull Djokovic into sense of false security. Rafa will destroy Djokovic in 2016 FO.
Sorry but thats just burying your head into the sand just like Rafa….He’s too competitive to lose deliberately, face the facts somethings got to change and very soon.
Here’s another great article that backs up everything I’ve been saying about Rafa’s coaching situation – http://www.vavel.com/en-us/tennis-usa/599413-australian-open-loss-confirms-that-rafael-nadal-needs-a-new-coach.html – the best article I’ve seen on the subject. Tonight’s devastating loss to Cuevas is just further confirmation that a coaching change is the ONLY thing that can save Rafa’s career. Toni’s gotta go. Whether voluntarily or involuntarily, he’s just gotta go.
Down the page I posted two more excellent articles about Rafa’s problems. Very much worth reading. They’re right on point.
if rafa is so adamant abut change then uncle toni must take initiative for rafa to persuade him for adding new member to the team else should step down with family reason
else time will pass by like a wind …….
after one and half year rafa find himself with same issue of confidence …however this time with his forehand shot
he is playing good on important points this days
tennis is nothing without rafa ………….tennis needs u…………
we need u …………so badly