On Wednesday, Rafael Nadal will face No. 9 seed Roger Federer in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open. It will be their 36th meeting, the second of 2017 – just six weeks after their five-set battle in the Australian Open final.
Match time: Not before 5 PM local time / 8 PM EDT – New York, Montreal / midnight GMT – United Kingdom / Thursday 1 AM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / Thursday 11 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on Federer:
He has the talent to do very difficult things that look easy. He’s able to take the ball very early. Serve and first shot, he creates a lot of winners with that, the two first shots.
Rafa leads the overall head to head 23-12.
Federer has never defeated Rafa in three straight meetings. He won their last two meetings in 2015 Swiss Indoors and 2017 Australian Open finals.
Here are all the matches they have played against each other:
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP World Tour
I’m so nervous nowadays when Rafa plays – more so than ever. Very often can’t even watch! I also hope he has been ‘boosted’ mentally. His coaches still need to work on his self confidence and a positive mindset.
I hope and pray that he wins!!!!!
VAMOS!!!!!!
There won’t be a empty seat in the house tonight for the Rafa/Roger match as the commentator’s just said that John Lloyd couldn’t even get a couple of tickets for his billionaire friend at any price.
Cmon Nick – goodness I never ever thought I would be saying that. But it serves a purpose today I suppose.
Vy I agree with you entirely and I noticed too that rafa was very subdued in his congrats for Roger after the ao final. I’ve also noticed that when rafa has beaten Roger in finals past, he can’t really celebrate as he feels bad for Roger who sometimes cries. It kinda overshadowed rafa’s successes. But I still can’t call this match today but I yearn for a rafa win, I really do!
Nicely said Lorna
Rafa played a good match against Verdasco but went walkabout with his concentration during two games in the second sent. He will need to be totally focussed throughout the whole match against Federer and serve at a high level, otherwise he’ll struggle as Federer looks very sharp at the moment. Rafa knows exactly what to expect from Federer and what he has to do. I’m sure he will execute his game plan well to win. Go Rafa!!!
Nishikori put away Donald Young in little more than an hour, 6-2, 6-4. Quiet guy that Kie. Like Rafa, I don’t underestimate ANY of his potential opponents.
Rafa, do what you do best, win, win, win.
RAFA ROCKS
Oh Jason I hope you are right. Yes the ao final was close but Roger has been playing well here although he did lose early in his last tournament which gives me hope!
My prediction: Rafa in two quite easy sets. He is more or less going to blow Fed off the court. The Aussie Open final was Fed’s last incredibly lucky turnout of events (he met an exhausted Nadal). And Rafa will show tonight why it is 23-12. And this comes from a fan who realizes we have seen the best of Nadal a long time ago.
Not only that, he was so lucky that an injuried Wawrinka broke himself in the fifth set despite being the better player for the larger part of the match. Fed said it himself that he got a cheap break but that’s part of the game and of course he’s right.
I wouldn’t mind it at all if it’s not for the fact that Fed clearly took a tactical MTO (and more or less admitted so) in BOTH that match and the final.
I mean, I really like him despite his arrogance and not very niceness sometimes (mostly from the early days), but the first MTO kind of spoiled the final for me before it even began and when it happened in EXACTLY the same fashsion against Rafa just when I was feeling moved and thinking that both of them deserved to win, it REALLY spoiled everything.
I then wanted Rafa to win so much that I had to remove myself from tennis for a month after the final. Rafa looked all happy and smiling at the net before the match (Fed less so) but he looked somehow uncharacteristically angry and very disappointed at the end. He also didn’t praise Fed to the moon like he used to at the after-match presser and only said “He played a little bit better than me” and I don’t know what happened” when being asked abt Fed’s MTO. I guessed he’s not happy with that too, considering their mutual respect and fantastic friendship and the meaningfulness of the match to both of them and to Tennis, to the fans, to everyone.
Sorry for the rambling. I’m kind of over-emotional and nervous this time even though it’s “just” a 4th round match (stupid draw I must say).
Best of luck, Rafa. Be calm and confident and you will take this! 🍀🎾💪🏻🏆
Let’s hope when Rafa gets Federer against the ropes, Federer doesn’t resort to another low by taking a sneaky time out for 7 minutes.. Go Rafael…!!!!.
Patricia… I’m so glad that you see right through Fed & you’re not afraid to speak your mind! I have looked up the weather report in Indian Wells and subtracted a hour from their playtime because of daylight savings… Their match is scheduled for 5 PM, but technically it will be 4 PM by the sun… One hour doesn’t make much difference in the desert, but it’s saying that it will be 96°…That’s hot! Hopefully Rafa will make Roger break a sweat!,VAMOS RAFA!
Sioux, I agree 150% about Rafa causing Roger to break a sweat, to sweat bullets. LOL
I can understand the negative sentiment behind Roger’s time-out during the final. He also took one during his Wawrinka match. But when Rafa was questioned about it, he said, “No opinion about that. I don’t know what’s going on.” I have to side with Rafa on this one.
But hear this, if Roger unnecessarily did take a time-out, I hope Rafa beats him so badly that it will be like a hornet’s sting, a thousand fold.
RAFA ROCKS
I have said my prayers and I’m sending all my positive energy right to Rafa! VAMOS RAFA !
Yes Margo… It time for Mr Federer to schvitz a bit! He has had the luxury to play in the evening which is still hot but not enough for him to break a sweat… Maybe he has, I don’t know because I flip when Fed is on, yawn yawn he bores me! Keep in touch with me I’ll need your support!! Vy feels as though it will be a slamdunk for Rafa! I listened to live on tennis channel today and they all are saying the courts & weather favor Rafa! VAMOS RAFA !
LOL You know I’ve got YOUR back. I also heard the same thing about conditions favoring Rafa. I hope he takes control of the ball and shows Roger why he’s the “terminator.” (Sorry Arnold.) LOL
RAFA ROCKS
Kyrgios and Djokovic are due on court at 10pm tonight UK time ( Nick you have conquered Novak once already this year ,time to do it again) and Rafa and Roger at midnight. Tonight the pendulum will swing the other way ,
Tic-toc Roger your time is up .
Great to see Rafa meet his old nemesis again:)
Rafa must play this match with so much intensity if he wants to send Federer home, because Federer looks so comfortable out there. Hopefully, normal service resumes tonight!
Kyrgios did a great job against Zverev. Hopefully he comes out swinging against the Djoker, who also switched on beast mode in the third set against Delpo. Too bad for Del Potro, but he’s on the right track.
Back to Rafa… it’s revenge time! Crush Federer and show that AO Final was your beautiful gift to him:):)
Can’t wait 😃😍👏🏻
Best of luck Rafa 🍀❤️
VAMOOOS!! 🎾💪🏼🤗
Yes Rafa, you’ve been shining brightly since you got back on tour this time but I’m going to ask you to shine a little brighter. Start taking what you’ve come for.
BEST OF LUCK RAFA
YOU ROCK
You can do it. Vamos Rafa <3
I posted somewhere the wrong information about daylight saving times… It’s spring forward fall back…
Good luck Rafa 💜❤💛💚💙
Good luck in your next match Rafa, The AO final could have gone either way, come out tomorrow and show us there’s no mistaking on who will be advancing into the next round.
Rafa here we go again a repeat of the Australian Open where I was there to see you both battle it out.
Go go go Rafa and I look forward to hearing of your very best play.
There was very little in the Melbourne game, so you can do it Rafa.
I will be praying for you,
Love ande prayers,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
Such a shame for Del Potro, a lovely guy who would without doubt have been a number one if his tennis life hadn’t been plagued with injury.Novak seems to have got his swing back and is playing well . Nick I am not your biggest fan but make the Australian people proud of you tomorrow( for once) and send Novak on his merry way
Just saw the Djokovic-Delpo match and Djokovic was unreal in the 3rd set. Dare I say it he is back to his top form. If Nadal can beat Federer tomorrow he will have a real fight in the quarters
Dmitrov lost to Jack Sock.
RAFA ROCKS
Yes ,come on Del potro
Looks as if Rafa gets to play at a decent hour, not in the burning sun. If this is what it takes Rafa, keep whooping everyone.
Rafa, Roger is probably full of confidence. Go in with more confidence.
BEST OF LUCK RAFA