(AP) — Rafael Nadal routed Italian Paolo Lorenzi 6-1, 6-1 on Wednesday night in Acapulco to advance to the Mexican Open quarterfinals.
Rafa won the tournament in 2005 and 2013 and has a 12-match winning streak in the event.
After the match, Rafa said:
Unfortunately, I will lose eventually. But the harmony with the crowd and the court is amazing. With all of the support from the people, it gets easier.
I played a complete match today and I’m feeling great after a month without playing.
El español Rafael Nadal sirve una bola al italiano Paolo Lorenzi hoy, miércoles 1 de marzo de 2017, en un partido del Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, en Acapulco (México). EFE/José Méndez
El español Rafael Nadal sirve una bola al italiano Paolo Lorenzi hoy, miércoles 1 de marzo de 2017, en un partido del Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, en Acapulco (México). EFE/José Méndez
Tennis – Mexican Open – Men’s Singles – Second Round – Acapulco, Mexico 01/03/17. Spain’s Rafael Nadal in action against Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi. REUTERS/Henry Romero
Tennis – Mexican Open – Men’s Singles – Second Round – Acapulco, Mexico 01/03/17. Spain’s Rafael Nadal in action against Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi. REUTERS/Henry Romero
Tennis – Mexican Open – Men’s Singles – Second Round – Acapulco, Mexico 01/03/17. Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory against Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi. REUTERS/Henry Romero
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates defeating Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi at the Mexican Tennis Open in Acapulco, Mexico, Wednesday, March 1, 2017. (JAM MEDIA via AP)
Tennis – Mexican Open – Men’s Singles – Second Round – Acapulco, Mexico 01/03/17. Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory against Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi. REUTERS/Henry Romero
El español Rafael Nadal celebra tras vencer al italiano Paolo Lorenzi hoy, miércoles 1 de marzo de 2017, en un partido del Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, en Acapulco (México). EFE/José Méndez
El español Rafael Nadal celebra tras vencer al italiano Paolo Lorenzi hoy, miércoles 1 de marzo de 2017, en un partido del Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, en Acapulco (México). EFE/José Méndez
El español Rafael Nadal celebra tras vencer al italiano Paolo Lorenzi hoy, miércoles 1 de marzo de 2017, en un partido del Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, en Acapulco (México). EFE/José Méndez
Rafa will face Yoshihito Nishioka, a 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 winner over Australia’s Jordan Thompson. The Japanese had battled past seventh seed Jack Sock in three sets in the first round.
These kind of comments throughout several years have really saddened me. To put these negative thoughts out into the universe is aweful regardless of the reason. He has to think positively. I thought his mind set and mentality were improving slightly during the Australian open but …… . I guess when one is going through kind of burnout there are ups and downs. Rafa must be careful of falling into that pattern again. He also needs some luck.
I wish him all the best in the next match and all the ones to follow.
VAMOS
I agree that Rafa is overly negative which shows that his self confidence is not yet restored. It does seem that Rafa tries not to get his hopes up too high, but it comes across poorly to his fans. The good news is that Rafa has played two great matches so far albeit against weak opponents. Every win, however, is important to rebuilding his confidence. I hope there will be another easy win tonight.
RAFA OF COURSE YOU WILL EVENTUALLY LOSE, AND LOSE AND LOSE, YOU ARE NOT A ROBOT. DO NOT THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU WILL LOSE. IF YOU THINK OF THAT ALL THE TIME YOU MIGHT AS WELL STOP PLAYING, TAKE UP GOLF OR POKER INSTEAD. TAKING UP GOLF OR POKER WILL KEEP YOUR MIND MORE FOCUSED, NO TIME FOR THE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS. I AM 72 YEARS OLD YOUR BIGGEST FAN, AND AM SADDENED TO READ OF YOUR PREOCCUPATION WITH LOSING. BLOCK THE WORD FROM YOUR MIND AND BE POSITIVE AT WHATEVER YOU DO, BE IT GOLF, POKER, OR EVEN TENNIS. YOU ARE A CLEVER, LUCKY GUY, APPRECIATE IT, GIVE IT YOUR ALL AND ACCEPT THE OUTCOME GRACEFULLY. CAROLE BOYLAN.
Why does Rafa say “unfortunately I will lose eventually”?
Humility
I have just seen the highlights of Rafa’s match against Lorenzi and he certainly looked confident and totally in control. It wasn’t that Lorenzi played badly. It was just that Rafa was so dominant.
I share Maria’s ( Siberia ) concern as to why Rafa said in interview that he had to lose eventually. We all know he is very unassuming and downplays his chances but perhaps he did not mean it the way it sounded to us. We have to remember he is not speaking in his own language and sometimes what he wishes to convey does not come across as it was meant. He may not have been referring to this particular tournament but speaking in general that no matter how well he is playing now it will not continue indefinitely.
That’s what I am telling myself anyway as he is playing so well at the moment.
Of course he praised his next opponent and said he was a terrific player and it would be a very tough match,etc, but has he ever said anything else about his next opponent? That is just Rafa.
He never blows his own trumpet so we as his fans need to blow it for him sometimes.
”Unfortunately, I will lose eventually” – why is Rafa sounding so negative, so defeatist already? Why is he sounding so apprehensive…..if Jiri Versely, Dennis Istomin etc can do it, then Rafa too can do it against a (weakened/aging) Djokovic! Carlos Moya needs to instill a positive attitude into him. Like Maria (England) says, ”Rafa can do it”
Another issue I have with Nadal is that he consistently brings up very unnecessary issues all the time, making a mountain our of a mole-hill ”of not playing for a month” This is getting too much and is now sounding ridiculous (to put it mildly). Afterall, it’s his choice to make. Again we should remember that in his so-called ”one month lay-off” he was busy doing adverts for his clothing company etc.
Beside, Juan Martin Del Potro (JMDP) was completely absent for over 2 yrs and came back last year to almost winning the Olympic gold!!!
Also, MLB (Mirjana Lucic-Baroni) was totally off the scene for 18 years and only came back in last month’s AO to almost playing in the finals!!! But for SW who stopped her in her tracks in the Semi-Finals, she most likely would have won the AO! She achieved this feat coming literally from the dead!
These 2 examples above are to me greater display of resilience and super stardom.
We may be Rafa fans or Rafa maniacs or Rafanatics, but we ain’t that stupid not to know the trick of making a piece of meat disappear in the mouth!
But as always, we’ll see………………………….Vamoooooooooossss Rafa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You can do it!!!!
I sort of agree, but what is he to say? They ask him the same stupid and obvious questions over and over. And he’s replying in English, which is endearing but not his first language. We know he’s playing well, we know he’s always humble, we know he always praises his opponents… That’s Rafa. I personally don’t analyse the answers too closely.
Good on you Rafa – great match 😘👍🏻
Continue the good path and all the best of luck at the next round 🤗❤️🍀
VAMOS CHAMP! 🎾💪🏼😊
Good match. Way to go..Vamos Rafa <3
Great match Rafa. 😁😘. Come on Del Potro 4-3 up in 3rd set .