On Wednesday, Rafael Nadal will play his quarter-final match at the Australian Open against the big-serving Canadian third seed Milos Raonic, who won the pair’s last meeting in Brisbane earlier this month.
Date: January 25, 2017
Match time: 7.30 PM local time (Melbourne) / 3.30 AM EST – New York, Montreal / 8.30 AM GMT – United Kingdom / 9.30 AM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on playing Milos Raonic:
I think going to be a tough match for me, for sure. Hopefully for him, too. In Brisbane he beat me. But at the same time is true that I have been close. A set up and important break point that I had passing shot, no?
Is tough. He’s an opponent that make you feel that you’re playing with a lot of pressure all the time because his serve is huge and he’s playing very aggressive from the baseline. So going to be a very tough match, no?
But I hope to be ready for it. I need to be very focused with my serve and play aggressive. If I am not playing aggressive, then I am dead, because he plays aggressive.
- Rafa is bidding to reach a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time since he won the title at 2014 Roland Garros.
- He is bidding to reach his 5th Australian Open semifinal and move into joint-7th position on the table for most appearances in the last 4 here in the Open Era.
- He is bidding to reach his 24th Grand Slam semifinal and close the gap on Andre Agassi in 5th place for the most Grand Slam semifinal appearances in the Open Era.
- Rafa is bidding to record his 50th Australian Open match-win and become the 4th man in the Open Era to record 50 Australian Open match-wins after Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Stefan Edberg.
- The Australian Open is Rafa’s 2nd most successful Grand Slam in terms of match-wins, but his least successful in terms of titles won and semifinals reached.
- Rafa is bidding to reach his 24th Grand Slam semifinal. He has a 23-6 win-loss record in quarterfinals at the majors – but 4 of his 6 losses in the last 8 have come at Melbourne Park. He has a 4-4 win-loss record in the last 8 here, compared to 9-1 at Roland Garros, 5-0 at Wimbledon and 5-1 at the US Open.
- If he wins on Wednesday Rafa is projected to rise to No. 6 in the ATP rankings – unless either David Goffin or Grigor Dimitrov go on to win the title here, when he would be No. 7. If Rafa wins the title in Melbourne, he will rise to No. 4. (Stats via ITF tennis)
This marks the ninth time that Rafa and Milos will meet on the professional tour. Overall our champ leads the head to head 6-2.
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Brisbane Australia |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Milos Raonic | |
| 2015 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai China |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2015 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Milos Raonic | |
| 2014 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2013 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada Canada |
Outdoor Hard | F | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2013 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2011 | Tokyo Japan |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2010 | Tokyo Japan |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
Rafa is bidding to win his 2nd Australian Open title and become the first man in the Open Era – and only the 3rd man in history – to win each of the 4 Grand Slam titles twice. Roy Emerson and Rod Laver are the only players to have won each Grand Slam on two or more occasions.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Rafa did some practice with former World #8, Mark Philippoussis, prior to his QF match. Mark, although retired but still very fast, accepted Carlos’ request to train with Rafa.
Moyà: “….Roanic is a big server and he uses a lot of variety. He [Rafa] needs to keep intensity, use variety, and especially be consistent and aggressive.”
[tennisworldusa, Gatto Luigi, 24/1/2017, 08.00]
Rafa, take all the help you can get. So happy you are open to advice from others not in your camp.
RAFA NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa, you are still the favorite vs Milos. You may play Goffin in the semifinal.
Roger is playing Stan I the semi. Is it time for a Fedal?
RAFA ROCKS
Good luck Rafa! You deserve your place in the semi’s and indeed the final! Vamos our great Champ.
Want to see Rafa , one of the greatest tennis player , biting the trophy once again as am his die hard fan
Rafa enfocate en tu servicio y juegale agresivamente ya que Raonic tiene un excelente servicio, pero tu para mi concepto tienes mejor juego que el, Vamos mi Rafa este Grand S es tuyo, MUchisima suerte
So happy to see Rafa come back again to his previous form!
Raonic, Dimitrov, Stan / Fed. Rafa’s h2h against these guys is like 50-14. If not for the last horrid 3 seasons, I’d usually see “VAMOS this is the ultimate chance to get career slam no. 2 – a feat that clearly touches upon obtaining sheer GOAT status”.
Rafa, you can beat Raonic, but you have to play aggressive and serve well, otherwise, what you said, you are dead! We all want to see a Fedal final! So…….go for it, Rafa! Vamossssss.
Good luck Rafa!! You will and you can, You are the Best, Come on……… Rafa!
all the very best for tomorrow,will be watching the match on tv,your on top of your game vamos rafa glennis.
Bring it on-Rafael will need nerves of steel. Raonic is hungry to win a slam, but
Rafael needs to bite that AO trophy again. Whoever has the truest grit and biggest passion will shine. It has been a wild ride with nothing being predictable-
opportunity for any of the remaining contenders to grab the cup! As Roger says,
you need to have done the “hard yards” mentally and physically in order to reap the rewards🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆❤️
Federer into the semifinals after dispatching M. Zverev.
RAFA ROCKS
Umm… this is going to be a tough one for our Rafa. I guess he has to PROTECT HIS SERVE and wait for opportunities to break Milos…
You can do it Rafa!
Meanwhile… Federer is killing Zverev in the first set. Ouch!
Rafa, take those chances. Put the pressure on Milos. You take control of the ball and don’t let go.
Do what you do best, Rafa. WIN WIN WIN
Sorry Milos, you will crash out of the QF. It’s Rafa who will book a spot in the semifinals.
RAFA ROCKS
The best of luck sweet Rafa 🍀❤VAMOS! 🎾💪🏼😃
The best og luck sweet Rafa 🍀❤VAMOS! 🎾💪🏼😃
Rafa can do this. So far, he upped his game compared to Brisbane. Vamos!
Good luck and Vamos Rafa <3
Stanimal into the semifinals. I want to see your name Rafa in that list of semifinalists….
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa, deny him a third win. You are my favorite to get to the semifinal. Good luck champ.
RAFA ROCKS