On Friday, Rafael Nadal will play Italian Fabio Fognini in the semifinal at the 2017 Miami Open.
Date: March 31, 2017
Match time: 1 PM local time / 1 PM EDT – New York, Montreal / 6 PM BST – United Kingdom / 7 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / Saturday 9 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on playing Fognini:
I know him very well and he knows me very well.
We played a few times and he’s beaten me a couple of times, too. It’s a tough match.
He’s playing well, so it will be a good challenge. I need to play my best, keep playing aggressive like I did today and hope to have my chances.
Rafa leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head with the Italian 7-3, but the pair has split their past six matches. Their previous encounter in Miami was a one-sided affair, with Nadal recording a swift 6-2, 6-2 win in their 2014 fourth-round clash.
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2015 | Beijing China |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2015 | US Open NY, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R32 | Fabio Fognini | |
| 2015 | Hamburg Germany |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2015 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Fabio Fognini | |
| 2015 | Rio de Janeiro Brazil |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Fabio Fognini | |
| 2014 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2013 | Beijing China |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2013 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | R32 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2013 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | R32 | Rafael Nadal |
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Yes Rafa, one more game😂
Break him rafa.
Go Rafa
Okay. Fog is clearing up now :p.
But poor racquet.
Haha. It won’t work forever, Fabio. The wind is still out there.
It’s official. The fog is clearing up. Rafa for the second set, and the match.
Danger zone!!! C’mon Rafa!
Things have gotten a bit worrisome. This is why Rafa needed to drive the knife in while Fabio was still in a fog. He’s defogged now and dangerous, and Rafa seems a bit stunned. The shanks and short balls have started.
Cmon rafa – keep it together now and do not lose your serve!
Oh Holly Berry- noooooo. Lol
Ahh I don’t like this. The approaching TB.
Afraid not Susie, she more likely to lick him to death Lol
🐶🐶😍😍
Fog decides that if he’s going to lose anyway, might as well jut go for it.
And he’s calming down in the process.
Rafa needs to be careful now. Can’t afford to get distracted one bit.
I hope Holly Berry has been trained to growl at fabio Maria. And if not get her ready for tonight!
Lol maria – I will as soon as he’s finished scoffing
Susie , start stroking Raffy, i think you might need a calming influence shortly Lol
Last game from Rafa was worrisome, two FH shanks.
Up till then he was holding so easily while Fog struggled to hold.
I don’t need a 3rd set Rafa finish him off!
Barry Cowan on sky has just compares fabio’s drop shot to Roger’s last night saying it wasn’t as good. I’m sick of the commentators and they’re still at it. If nick doesn’t take him out later I hope he knackers Federer so much he’s useless for the final!
But it’s true it wasn’t as good, Susie. That lob dropshot is a thing of beauty. 🙂
I call it Fed drool. It’s how they talk and have talked for ages. Helped turn me more against Fed.
Sorry I have to laugh. Great slice dropshot from Fog. But he looks like he hates it.
He loves the second one though.
Come on Rafa…
That’s it, Rafa. Decisively take the initiative. The wind is not going away any time soon it seems.
Fog survives again. Rafa needs to be more patient. Should not take the set to a TB.
Grind him down Rafa!
I’ve seen a match where Fognini was injured, years ago, I can’t remember who it was against. Fognini won basically playing on one leg. And then he withdrew from the tournament. So have no mercy on him Rafa, finish him off!