One of the greatest rivalries in tennis resumes on Saturday as Rafael Nadal faces Novak Djokovic in the semifinal of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. This will be the 48th meeting between the two players and second of 2016.
Our champ is bidding to reach the final in Indian Wells for the fifth time.
Winner of 27 Masters 1000 crowns, Rafa lifted the trophy at the BNP Paribas Open in 2007 (d. Djokovic), 2009 (d. Murray) and 2013 (d. Del Potro); he also finished runner-up to Djokovic in 2011.
Date: March 19, 2016
Match time: Approximately 1 PM local time / 4 PM EDT – New York, Montreal / 8 PM GMT – United Kingdom / 9 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy /March 20 – 7 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Watch online: 3pmstream
Rafa on semis:
Let’s try my best tomorrow. Let’s keep playing with the same energy. And we’ll see what’s going on.
I know Novak is playing unbelievable, so it’s difficult. But I am here to keep enjoying, keep trying my best, and keep playing with the right energy.
Djokovic is 9-1 against Rafa since the 2013 US Open. He is 14-10 in tour-level finals and 17-7 on hard courts.
The last time Rafa defeated Djokovic was the 2014 French Open final.
Here are the matches they have played against each other:
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Doha Qatar |
Outdoor Hard | F | Novak Djokovic |
61 62
|
| 2015 | Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Great Britain |
Indoor Hard | SF | Novak Djokovic |
63 63
|
| 2015 | Beijing China |
Outdoor Hard | F | Novak Djokovic |
62 62
|
| 2015 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Novak Djokovic |
75 63 61
|
| 2015 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Monaco |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Novak Djokovic |
63 63
|
| 2014 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal |
36 75 62 64
|
| 2014 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | F | Novak Djokovic |
46 63 63
|
| 2014 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | F | Novak Djokovic |
63 63
|
| 2013 | Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Great Britain |
Indoor Hard | F | Novak Djokovic |
63 64
|
| 2013 | Beijing China |
Outdoor Hard | F | Novak Djokovic |
63 64
|
| 2013 | US Open NY, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | F | Rafael Nadal |
62 36 64 61
|
| 2013 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada Canada |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Rafael Nadal |
64 36 762
|
| 2013 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Rafael Nadal |
64 36 61 673 97
|
| 2013 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Monaco |
Outdoor Clay | F | Novak Djokovic |
62 761
|
| 2012 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal |
64 63 26 75
|
| 2012 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal |
75 63
|
| 2012 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Monaco |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal |
63 61
|
| 2012 | Australian Open Australia |
Outdoor Hard | F | Novak Djokovic |
57 64 62 675 75
|
| 2011 | US Open NY, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | F | Novak Djokovic |
62 64 673 61
|
| 2011 | Wimbledon Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | F | Novak Djokovic |
64 61 16 63
|
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | F | Novak Djokovic |
64 64
|
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | F | Novak Djokovic |
75 64
|
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | F | Novak Djokovic |
46 63 764
|
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | F | Novak Djokovic |
46 63 62
|
| 2010 | Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Great Britain |
Indoor Hard | RR | Rafael Nadal |
75 62
|
| 2010 | US Open NY, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | F | Rafael Nadal |
64 57 64 62
|
| 2009 | Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Great Britain |
Indoor Hard | RR | Novak Djokovic |
765 63
|
| 2009 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Paris France |
Indoor Hard | SF | Novak Djokovic |
62 63
|
| 2009 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati OH, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Novak Djokovic |
61 64
|
| 2009 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Rafael Nadal |
36 765 769
|
| 2009 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal |
762 62
|
| 2009 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Monaco |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal |
63 26 61
|
| 2009 | ESP vs. SRB WG 1st RD Spain |
RR | Rafael Nadal |
64 64 61
|
|
| 2008 | Beijing Olympics China |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Rafael Nadal |
64 16 64
|
| 2008 | ATP Masters Series Cincinnati OH, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Novak Djokovic |
61 75
|
| 2008 | London / Queen’s Club Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | F | Rafael Nadal |
766 75
|
| 2008 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Rafael Nadal |
64 62 763
|
| 2008 | ATP Masters Series Hamburg Germany |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Rafael Nadal |
75 26 62
|
| 2008 | ATP Masters Series Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Novak Djokovic |
63 62
|
| 2007 | Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Great Britain |
Indoor Hard | RR | Rafael Nadal |
64 64
|
| 2007 | ATP Masters Series Canada Canada |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Novak Djokovic |
75 63
|
| 2007 | Wimbledon Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | SF | Rafael Nadal |
36 61 41
RET
|
| 2007 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Rafael Nadal |
75 64 62
|
| 2007 | ATP Masters Series Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal |
62 63
|
| 2007 | ATP Masters Series Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Novak Djokovic |
63 64
|
| 2007 | ATP Masters Series Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | F | Rafael Nadal |
62 75
|
| 2006 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal |
64 64
RET
|
Good luck and Vamos Rafa!
All the very best of luck, dear Rafa ❤️ You can do it 😊
Always be yourself and have faith in yourself 😘
VAMOS 🎾💪😃
I wish if rafa could have face roger before this match ……..yes rafa is playing good but roger takes out some special thing from rafa which he needs now ……..
Anyways go and enjoy the match
I see our dear champion Rafa prevailing by 2 : 1 – 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-4
But we still need to pray hard to make it happen
Oh our dear Loony Prophet, we count on your prayers and your Goddesses to help Rafa win today! Don’t let us down!!! LMFAO!
Just relax and play your best tennis You´ve nothing to lose VAMOS RAFA & good luck
a very best luck to rafa
Rafa should enter this match with the intention to crush Djoker. He may fail, but he will play a good match.
If he goes with the annoying mindset of ‘I hope Djoker’s level drops’… he’ll get slaughtered like happened in Qatar.
Surprise us Mr. Nadal! Good luck to you both!
dont loose the 1 st game …..again the serve will be important factor ….since he will attack u on 1 st game of ur and then create a momentum with him ………just try to push the match longer……..expect the drop shots ……..u need to change the direction on shots and make him run……..play him more on his forehand side………dont play to his plans ……..slices and lobs are important…….and remeber one important points just enjoy the match……..u need to remeber of us open finals and monte carlo 2015…………
attack his 1 st game……..and remember 90 % on important point novak will serve down the tee direction so dont give him free points on that……..
dont forget the inside out forehands rafa
Contrary to what some think, Rafa can win this match..there will be long rallies from the start and Rafa has to just stay with Novak and his measured deep drives and Rafa has to execute his forehand esp the down the line shot! Plus his return of serve has been the key this tournament and if he is able to return aggressively he might just force Novak to some errors! Let’s go Rafa!!!!! Your almost there!!!
ALL THE BEST RAFA.💖.
GOD BLESS YOU.
LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYOU RAFA.💖 ALWAYS.
Rafa YOU CAN DO IT. Have the same confidence in yourself that we your fans have in you. Will be praying for you tomorrow. God bless you
Fantastic comments!!!
Hi Rafa fans
Please join facebook ” Rafael Nadal – Fans against French minister Rosalyn Bichelot”
Rafa needs out support.
VAMOS RAFA.💖. I ENJOYED THE MATCH AGAINST NISHIKORI. YOU ARE BACK. AS I ALWAYS SAID, YOU ARE THE BEST.🌷. YOU HAD THE AUDIENCE AT THE EDGE OF THE SEATS.
BEAUTIFUL MATCH. YOU WILL PLAY ANOTHER GOOD MATCH WITH DJOKOVIC, V YOUR FANS ARE CONFIDENT ABOUT THAT.
EAST OR WEST RAFA.💖 YOU ARE THE BEST.🌷 , BUDDY.
ANYWAY, TAKE REST, N PREPARE FOR THE MATCH.
LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE YOU RAFA.💖 ALWAYS.
KEEP THE CONFIDENCE GOING.
KEEP SMILING, N STAY HEALTHY.
I am just so thrilled that Rafa is into the semi-finals here. He already delivered 4
outstanding matches against 4 extremely difficult opponents.
I know he’s facing Novak tomorrow. The funny thing about Novak is he’s such a mechanical player, no flair or flash whatsoever (but he gets the job done that way)
Every single shot of his is so measured that it seldom goes out of bounds. Tsonga over-cooked so many shots but he still played a tight match against Novak. Too bad, Tsonga couldn’t harness all that power of his and keep his shots in bounds. He might have won the 2nd set, perhaps.
Rafa, just play as you have been playing in the four previous rounds and continue to
play with the same confidence and intensity. I look forward to the match no matter
what the results are. You are definitely back! It’s no easy task to take down Kei
today who is another sterling competitor! Vamos and Best wishes!
Vamos Rafa! Just keep playing with confidence and intensity and you will prevail against Novak.
Vamos Rafa! It will be a tough one, but it’s not impossible. Fight for every ball, as always! We are all with you.
I don’t see Rafa winning this one sadly but as long as this form gets better and better and we get to see Rafa play like his old self again for the next few months/years it’s all that I could wish for. Give it a good fight Rafa, even if you will lose.
This is the most realistic comment!
Sadly, Rafa, thanks to a combination of injuries and stubbornness in not changing Uncle Toni, has allowed the Djoker in the pack to overwhelm him recently. That is, Rafa has the skills and talent to beat Djokovic, but those talents are now dormant.
To be honest, Rafa always looks sort of timid (I dont want to say ‘frightened’) these days against Djokovic.
Anyways, like Rafa said ‘I’m here to enjoy myself’