With a three set victory over Alexander Zverev in round 4, Rafael Nadal set the stage for a quarterfinal showdown with Kei Nishikori at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Friday. The Japanese star saved one match point and withstood 23 aces to edge John Isner 1-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(5) in two hours and 11 minutes.
Date: March 18, 2016
Match time: 12 PM (noon) local time / 3 PM EDT – New York, Montreal / 7 PM GMT – United Kingdom / 8 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / March 19 – 6 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Watch online: 3pmstream
Rafa on playinig Kei Nishikori:
I lost Nishikori last year in Montreal. He’s a player that puts a lot of pressure on the opponent.
I need to play better than what I did, but it’s obvious that I in quarterfinals, and that’s great news for me in a very tough tournament like this one.
Rafa has a 7-1 head-to-head winning record against Kei, whose only victory came last year in the Montreal quarterfinals.
Here are the matches they have played against each other:
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada Canada |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Kei Nishikori |
62 64
|
| 2014 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal |
26 64 30
RET
|
| 2014 | Australian Open Australia |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
763 75 763
|
| 2013 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
64 61 63
|
| 2012 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
64 64
|
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R64 | Rafael Nadal |
64 64
|
| 2010 | Wimbledon Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | R128 | Rafael Nadal |
62 64 64
|
| 2008 | London / Queen’s Club Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
64 36 63
|
All the luck in the world to you sweet gorgeous Rafa 🍀😍 Keep fighting and bring home that bronze medal 👌 Be proud all the way champ. ❤️U 😃😘
VAMOS!! 🎾💪🇪🇸
VAMOS DEAR RAFA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SOLID SWIFT VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) BRILLIANT & OUTSTANDING GAME !!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART ALL THE WAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU TOOK HIM TO THE CLEANERS WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL ENERGY & AMAZING SKILLFUL TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) KUDOS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) LOVED HOW YOU KEPT HAMMERING AT EACH OF HIS SERVE POINTS & YOUR DETERMINATION TO KEEP BREAKING & COMMANDING A LEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VERY SOLID!!!!! : ) NO ONE CAN PLAY TOP COMPETITIVE CREATIVE & POWERFUL TENNIS LIKE YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VERY IMPRESSIVE !!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY DEAR RAFA …..GO GOLFING……….GO DANCING …….. MILK IT ALL & ENJOY!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) ENJOY BIG FUN CELEBRATION WITH THE TEAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) KEEP ON SMILING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : )
“NADAL LEADS FIVE GAMES TO 3 ” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!! GREAT ELOQUENT FIGHTING FOR EACH BALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOVE THE SPEEDY MOVEMENT & STRONG ON THE LINE SURPRISES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) 🙂 : ) : ) ci….ci…..ci….SENIOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
VAMOS DEAR RAFA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) GREAT FEISTY RETURNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 Rafa IS GLIDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just beautifully broke with his magical command on the court heading 2:0….. held his great serve & now leading 3:0 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) 🙂 🙂 🙂 VAMOS………… VAMOS……….. VAMOS !!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) …. The CA crowd is fantastic and cheerfully eager for 3 sets but looks like Rafa may have a swift bright win !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) Go……………………….GO……………………….GO………………….. ! : ) BEAUTIFUL STRONG TENNIS DEAR RAFA & results well deserved !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : )
VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) I like noon matches! : )
YEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Rafa just won beautifully the 1st SET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) GREAT FANTASTIC SHOTS & CREATIVE SERVE………..AWESOME GAME SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
VAMOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Rafa wisely opt to serve first & just had a great strong 1st service game holding his serve with his mighty passion!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) YEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) He is easing into the groove…… GO………GO……..GO…………! : )
OLA & VAMOS DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) Very happy for you!!!! : ) Have a great time & ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) YOU ARE SO INCREDIBLY FIT & READY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Lots of love & happiness sweetheart & enjoy it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
Good luck and Vamos Rafa!
VAMOS RAFA don´t let be pressured …. just beat the Nishi 😀 Good luck
Rafa please serve ur 2serve tactically because he gonna attack the serve
And please take time to serve ….dont hurry up ur servi-ce game ……u were hurrying up against alex the previous match
Very best luck to u ……..just enjoy ……and dont think of result
I was so happy to see RAFA, HAPPY and PUMPED against Zverev. I hope he continues that same way against Kei because he will needs it. I like Kei, but not against RAFA.
100% support for my RAFA.
RAFA fan forever.
I hope that Rafa wins today, but even more I hope he plays well. His loss last year to Kei was very depressing to watch. I always want Rafa to win, but if he loses but competes well, I can accept that.
More of the same Rafael. All support.
all the best for today vamos rafaxxxx
Wish you all the best and good luck for your match today. Vamos Rafa <3
So paln from kie will be straight he will attack ur very 1 st game so need to focus from 1st point ……holding serve will be the key
Just hold the aerve for 1 st game
And attack kie 1st game
play more to his backhand side
make him run with proper shot selection
Most importantly just enjoy the match
Vamos rafa very best luck for the match
Rafa had me on pins and needles in the third set against Alexander. But, the brilliance and heart he displayed late in the third set was like watching the old Rafa that won 14 grand slams! On towards victory!
Go get him Rafa xx