Madrid Open Draw: How tough is Rafael Nadal’s road to victory?

The draw has been made for the Mutua Madrid Open. The fourth Masters tournament of the season begins on Sunday, May 1st and will be held til May 8th.

Rafael Nadal is fifth seed and has a first-round bye. He will open his campaign against either Viktor Troicki or Andrey Kuznetsov.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe

Projected quarterfinals:

  • Novak Djokovic vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
  • Stan Wawrinka vs Kei Nishikori
  • Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal
  • Andy Murray vs Tomas Berdych

Rafa’s potential route to the final:

  • 1st round: Bye
  • 2nd round: Viktor Troicki or Andrey Kuznetsov
  • 3rd round: David Goffin
  • Quarter-final: Roger Federer
  • Semi-final: Andy Murray
  • Final: Novak Djokovic

View Singles Draw

Rafa is a four-time winner in his home country’s capital (2005, 2010, 2013 and 2014). Last year, he lost in the final to Andy Murray, 6-3, 6-2.

Best of luck, Rafa!

37 comments

  1. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO WRITE ALMOST A BOOK. JUST SAY IT IN ONE OR TWO LINES. WE DONT HAVE TIME READ EVERYTHING. THANK YOU.

  2. Rafa can be a big threat to all the players who has to face him ! They all know how good he is on clay and Rafa can take on any of the top and lower rank players ! The players are scared to face Rafa more than Rafa has to face them he’s full of confidence and will make up for all of the losses he had in 2015 this year I can see Rafa will have a wonderful 2016 like he had in 2013 Good luck Rafa ! Roger can never be a threat to Rafa on clay !

  3. Not as hard as it was! No Roger and no David Goffin. It’s not that I want Rafa to have an easy ride, but it’s nice to see the fates going his way.

  4. It’s getting closer……can hardly wait until Rafa starts playing on Tuesday. He will do his Best! Vamos!

  5. Ola & VAMOS DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) Madrid Tournament will be FANTASTIC for you!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) 🙂 🙂 : ) : ) : ) You are playing AMAZING!!!!!!!!! : ) Congratulations on your beautiful YACHT…. have lots of fun enjoying it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) God bless you & enjoy your time off !!!!! : ) Have fun preparing & keep smiling! : ) Lots of love & happiness & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )

    • TO FAN LOVE…….DONT WRITE THAT MUCH WITH SO MANY STRAGE SIGNS. WE THE READERS DONT HAVE TIME TO READ ALL OF THOSE ITEMS. A SMALL WELL WRITTEN MESSAGE WILL BE ENOUGH

  6. A tough 2nd round against kitchen sinker

    And 3rd round against a top player sonwe will see

    Anyways come what may rafa just pratice hard and keep calm

    Vamos rafa vamos

  7. Looking forward to Rafa reinging once again on Clay. He has his confidence back, health & focus. If those things remain even he is the strongest one to beat. I do belive he wants his 10 th French and as bad as the world #1 Djokovic wants it he has yet to do it & he had his change last year &Wawrinka took it. VAMOOOS RAFA 🎾🏆

  8. Come what may, Rafa will handle it; win, lose or draw, we can count on Rafa to do his BEST. THAT’S enough for me!!! VAMOS RAFA!!!! !!!!! ADELINE !!!!! COMO SIMPER!!!!

  9. Just go for it Rafa you are brimming with confidence at the moment and no matter who you have the in the draw just take one match at a time and go do it
    Good luck and best wishes Rafa in Madrid

  10. I love RAFA, and I want to get him NO favors. The draw is the draw, he just has to power through. He is a champion, a proven champion on more than one occasion. On any given day a so called ‘hard’ draw could just open up.

    He is a professional, doesn’t matter who he faces whenever. I hate it when uncle Toni says sometimes he needs a little luck in the draw.

    HE IS A CHAMPION, LET US TREAT HIM LIKE ONE; I don’t hear Nole’s fans hoping he gets an easy draw. It’s because he’s so good not many players appears to be a threat to him, well NOT Monte Carlo.

    It’s RAFA.

    RAFA fan forever

  11. I’m not sure there is such a thing as a good or bad draw. Look what happened to Novak at Monte Carlo. You never know when an ‘up and coming’ will raise their game, whether someone will play well, or badly. We can only hope that Rafa remains on form.

    • Well said Teresa. It’s true of what you said. It’s not a matter of good or bad draw but Rafa seems to be getting all the tough players. Sometimes l feel that there’s a kind of conspiracy particularly in the GS like the F rench Open. Luckily despite the tough draws Rafa came through. Vamos Rafa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      • I do realize that the draw is the draw, but I just can’t believe how Djokovic continues to get what I call cupcake draws. Madrid is yet another example. I am happy that at least Rafa is not in his half in Madrid.

  12. RAFA IS PLAYING NOW IN THE RIGHT WAY AND WILL PLAY THESE GUYS WITH A PROFESSIONAL STANCE SO RAFA VAMOSS: KEEP THAT LOVELY SMILE AND YOU WILL CHARM ALL WHEN YOU BEAT THEM ALL BIG HUGXXX

  13. I consider not having Djokovic in Rafa’s quarter/half a good draw. I’m not sure if Roger can beat Thiem on clay right now, since Roger still needs more matches, and Thiem has been very in form on clay. So Rafa might have to go through Thiem again. But I’d love to see Rafa and Roger in the quarter-final. Rafa, you gave your mom a wonderful birthday present in Barcelona. How about another one in Madrid on Mother’s Day? ❤️

  14. I disagree that Roger will be most tough.Rafa on form, on clay, has no problem with Roger but Murray on form could be difficult and it’s on 3 sets. I’m confident about the French over 5 against anyone. Vamos Rafa – you are the King of Clay.

  15. All tennis championships are tough. Anyone in the top 100 on the right day can win. That is why Rafa’s ‘technology of the mind’ has stood him so well. All the very best Rafa. A busy week or two, perhaps while you are not using your yacht……………..!
    Vamos, our champ!

  16. Ok, 2nd and 3rd rnd can be a challenge, but roger and muzzard should be no problem for rafa right now. Vamos, get that djoker!

  17. Tough draw. But Rafa is confident these days. Hopefully he will win another title here in Madrid.

  18. Looks to be a hard Draw, but if Rafa can play like he did in Monte Carlo he will go well, main obstacle could be Roger. after the preliminary rounds, We will just have to wait and seeHope Roger and Novak have losses in their early rounds , which could make Rafa,s job a bit easier Vamos Rafa

    • I understand that, as a Nadal fan, we’d like the easiest road to another win in Madrid. But, it’s best for Nadal to power thru all his opponents to a rousing victory. Historically speaking, Nadal’s draw is perfect as one of the Big Four!

    • you really know nothing about tennis, do you? What’s so hard about the draw? Would you prefer the great Rafael Nadal should have only unseeded players all the way to the final?

      And main obstacle could be Roger? Really? Have you actually followed tennis lately, or are you still stuck in 2005?

      You insult Rafa by insinuating that he can only win if Roger and Novak lose in early rounds. Nothing in life comes easy, and a worthy champion should fight hard for every win.

      But then again, we live in the world of ENTITLEMENT, the world of President Donald Trump O_O

      • Rafa has won 4 times here.but does struggle a bit due to the altitude factor in Madrid .the clay in Madrid has changed over the last few years making it faster than Monte Carlo and Barcelona… Andy played well last year to beat rafa but i think this year rafa has his chances against anyone and would want to win to get back to top 4 in time for RG.. Rahul j

      • Roger withdrew today, so now Rafa may face young Thiem instead.

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