Monte Carlo R3: When does Rafael Nadal play against Dominic Thiem?

Eight-time champion Rafael Nadal will face 12th seed Dominic Thiem in the third round of the 2016 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. The 22-year-old Austrian fought back to defeat qualifier Taro Daniel 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.

Tennis - Monte Carlo Masters - Monaco, 13/04/2016. Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a shot to Aljaz Bedene of Britain. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
Tennis – Monte Carlo Masters – Monaco, 13/04/2016. Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a shot to Aljaz Bedene of Britain. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

Date: April 14, 2016

Match time: Approximately 1 PM local time / 7 AM  EDT –  New York, Montreal / 12 noon – United Kingdom / 1 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 9 PM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.

Watch online: 3pmstream

The head-to-head series stands at 1-1 overall, but rising star Thiem beat our champ when they met in February on clay in the semi-finals in Buenos Aires.

Rafa on playing Thiem:

I know that I have to improve for tomorrow. But I have confidence because I have been practising very well these weeks. Let’s see if I am able to play the way that I was practising. Tomorrow is going to be a tough match against a difficult opponent.

I expect a tough match. Thiem is a great player, who is having a great season. Clay is probably the best surface for him. I expect a very difficult match. I know to have chances, I have to play very well. I need to do it and I going to try to do it.

GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!

37 comments

  1. Brilliant Rafa you played great.what do you have to say nowJBeer perhaps you need to get your eye sight checked looks like you were getting you’re players mixed up

  2. Come onRafa you can do this . JBeer you really are a vile little man isn’t it time for your afternoon nap

    • I am pretty big fella, don’t be confused Maria. I have the right to point out this lack of confidence that is so misplaced, for sure.

  3. YEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) VAMOS DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) Rafe just took the 1st SET in passionate feisty Rafa manner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) 🙂 : ) : ) Great exciting match !!!!! : ) : ) : ) Our precious Champion is fighting beautifully & fighting with gorgeous shots & amazing NET grace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO…….GO………GO…….

  4. I am watching Thiem – Nadal right now, and surprise, surprise, guess who’s looking confident, as if he’s won MC 8 times and RG 9 times? It’s Thiem! Rafa his usual loser self of the last year. Well done bull, you’re really getting there. What a depressing state of affairs.

  5. OLA & VAMOS DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) It is a beautiful day !!!!! : ) : ) : ) Sending a big hug and lots of love & happiness!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) Enjoy everything sweetheart !!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )

  6. Congratulations Rafa my son. Great win. You have been thru a lot n have shown you can beat the odds. Keep thinking all the way “I am the King of Clay”. I pray to God to help you with serving Aces, as it seems nowadays this is what games are being won on! God bless you. Vamos Rafa. Love Your Aussie Abuela. 😀😊😇🎈🎈🎈

  7. There’s no reason for Rafa Fans and Fanatics to get unduly excited over Djokovic’s ouster by Jiri.
    You can bet that Djokovic will DEFINITELY go back to the drawing board and ensure that such mishap does not repeat itself again.

    Whatever needs to be done WILL be done, even it it means replacing/adding to the Coaching crew led by BB.

    It is only changes that make things better , and the Djoker certainly has no phobia for changes………unlike someone that is well none to us here.

    Also, the fact that Djokovic is out does not mean that Rafa will win Monte Carlo.

    We can only pray he does…………..he has not done what he needs to do.

  8. MIOMO we hear the same old rubbish from you over and over again .Rafa and Toni had the career you could only dream about get over it,but if it makes you feel better about yourself go ahead

    • MIROMO and Zika Laforge both seem to have serious psychological problems, probably both patients of Dr Frazer Crane O_O

  9. Wow, all the over-thinking and analysis of Rafa’s game and prognosis is enough to make my head spin! I just want Rafa to “play ball”. Of course, I wish him all the best
    for tomorrow. All these opponents battle hard and want to win. I respect all of them.
    What Rafa does so well is he never under-estimates his opponent on the other side
    of the net.

    I also want to congratulate Jiri Vesely for his fine performance today taking out Novak.
    What astounded me the most was how he closed out the match on his serve.
    He held his nerve and never waived. He was in control of the whole match.
    It was quite astonishing. It just goes to show you the self-determination and self-belief
    of these talented players on full display.

    Vamos, Rafa!

  10. News flash to Rafa and his clueless uncle: if you don’t think you can win, YOU WON’T!!!

    • somewhere in yankee-doodle land, there is a village with a missing idiot ……

      have you cast your vote for Trump yet, fruitcake? O_O

  11. “Novak is impossible to stop.” ~ Rafa (4-11-2016)

    For our favorite player – given his current form, defeatist attitude and unprofessional team management – YES – Novak is impossible to stop.

    For world # 55 Jiri Vesely – NOT SO MUCH.

    Congratulations to the Czech journeyman for his SECOND win of 2016 – in 8 tournaments played.

    And his FIRST win ever against a top 10 player.

    Apparently, he never got Rafa’s memo that Novak is unstoppable.

  12. All the best Rafa for your match against Theim tomorrow you know you can do this keep your confidence up and play aggressively and you can win this
    Just forget who is at the other side of the net and play the best you can
    I know you will probably have put aside your loss to him but make sure you really have got this out your mind
    Go for it Rafa there isn’t a Rafa fan who doesn’t want you to win
    Always our champ no matter what

  13. Nole is far from invincible, and I believe that Rafa’s tactic is psychological when he constantly paints Nole as invincible. Nole performance has declined lately, and he could well be entering a losing streak, followed by a mental non-confidence phase.

    Rafa on the other hand seems to have overcome his losing phase, and could well be making a come-back. Oh sure we’ll hear lots of hot air from zika laforge and all the other naysayers, but they should be ignored, because THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR IS BACK!

    • The ONLY chance???? I beg to differ, I believe Rafa is on a trajectory to beat Nole at their next encounter! VAMOS RAFA!!!

      • I hope so. But base on Rafa’s perfomance, i don’t see any change. His serve is way too weak, his deadly FH down the line is still inconsistent. In my oppnion, the real Rafa was gone after that heart breaking loss against Stan Wawrinka in Australian Open 2014 even he managed to defeat Novak at French Open later.
        That’s the reason why many people said he should consider adding some professionals to improve his game on different surfaces.

      • DMTA – don’t disagree with your observations, you are correct, but I think there is evidence that he’s working on these problems. I wish he would summon the courage to seek additional coaching help ……

  14. Btw i know it take something to adjust the game and to switch from one surface to other …..
    Well this news will not make much highlight as that of andy murrays recent losses……

  15. the world no 1 ….the unbeatable got lost in 1 st round by world no 55….an inexperienced player…..on his hometown………………wait wait…………………………bottom line is it happens to every one …….i mean every one ……………….whether u are world no 1 or no 100 ………………..the momentum was with vesely he got the 1 st set ……………….each player on tennis tour should take time to congratulate vesely …..since he showed a way .to all other player………..he was not karlovic with big serve ……… get the momentum with u …………against this man …………u will find a way………………

  16. it’s time to bring that shoulder/chest spinning bounce again …………..vamos rafa
    just play with attitude u shown in indian wells with little more anger just aim for demolishing ur opponent

    All the very best for the match

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