Fifth seed Rafael Nadal has reached the final of the Miami Open after recording a 6-1, 7-5 semi-final victory over unseeded Italian Fabio Fognini. He is in the Miami final for the fifth time but is still in search of his first title.
Rafa, who will be going for his 29thATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, will face either Roger Federer or Nick Kyrgios in Sunday’s final.
Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot against Fabio Fognini of Italy during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal loses his shoe against Fabio Fognini during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Fabio Fognini of Italy in the semi finals at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Fabio Fognini of Italy in the semi finals at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on against Fabio Fognini of Italy during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on against Fabio Fognini of Italy during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on against Fabio Fognini of Italy during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Fabio Fognini of Italy in the semi finals at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on against Fabio Fognini of Italy during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on against Fabio Fognini of Italy during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain wipes sweat off of the court during his match against Fabio Fognini of Italy during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on against Fabio Fognini of Italy during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates defeating Fabio Fognini of Italy in the semi finals at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates match point against Fabio Fognini of Italy during Day 12 of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal celebrates defeating Fabio Fognini of Italy in the semi finals at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates defeating Fabio Fognini of Italy in the semi finals at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates defeating Fabio Fognini of Italy in the semi finals at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images North America)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates defeating Fabio Fognini of Italy in the semi finals at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (March 30, 2017 – Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images North America)
That’s what Roger may have said but that’s not what is perhaps the truth of it!
Hi Susie ,well i have to be able to rely on someone ,, Vy came up trumps and always does, where as Maria (, Siberia) has let me down big time , and if his/her predictions had been right ,i was going to suggest ANOTHER name change to The Oracle . Guess that’s out the window now Hmn…. but we’ll see
Gosh maria England- you asked and vy delivered – how good is that? And maria siberia – now nick is not on the final can we have an amended prediction please?
Susie, thank you but it’s actually very simple I felt like I didn’t have to do anything. I just need the link to the clip, then make the gif with one of the online ready-made apps. Anyone can do it, really :-).
Vy and rafalite – please watch the final. We will all be here I’m sure to support each other. With Rafa I know it’s not good for the health but he needs us and our positive thinking.
Susie, don’t mind what I might let on. I’ll be watching without fail.
It will be absolutely fantastic if Rafa prevails even though it’s not a Slam. If he doesn’t, well, there’s nothing we can do abt it. But at least we’ll still have each other LOL. 😸
I missed a bit of the match as I nodded off but woke up again and watched nick win 2nd set. The whole thing was so close. I’m really off Federer at the moment and usually I’m quite indifferent to him. Mirka is a silly child and I recall how she nearly broke the friendship between stan and Roger at wtf 2014 by her heckling. To the extent that Roger could not play the final the next day. Thank God rafa has noone on his team like that. I’m unsure if rafa can win tomorrow to be honest – he looked very subdued at IW 4th rnd. All I know is that he will try his best and that is all we can ask! I really hope Roger does not win – I can’t bear his swanky strutting
Stan and Roger’s friendship was never threatened by the “crybaby” incident. Never. If anything, it brought out the best in their friendship. Both men even railed against the umpire who confirmed in a presser that Mirka said, “crybaby.”
Roger, “There’s no hard feelings whatsoever. We are friends, not enemies, but it was maybe one of those heat-of-the-moment situations.” Hours after their heated argument in the tunnel, they posted a pic on Twitter with Stan making the “rabbit” sign behind Roger.
Roger did not retire from the WTF because Mirka called Stan a crybaby. Roger retired from the WTF because of a lingering back problem stemming from injuries in 2013. He reportedly wasn’t even sure if he would be able in the Davis Cup finals.
Reading your comments on the match and watching how Federer won only makes me think of the articles by astrologers on Federers stars – how he is likely to win no matter what – (not always in these words but ….). Seems sooo unfair.
Please Rafa fans let’s put out all our positive thought and even maybe affirmations for our beloved Rafa.
VAMOS Rafa!
Bravo Rafael whatever becomes of the final you will always be a champion and a gentleman, let’s hope is the dream final again
Ha ha vy. Brilliant
You’re welcome, Susie. 🙂
Are you awake already? Don’t tell me you haven’t gone to bed yet?
Thank you Vy, lovely to see Rafa , having fun. A simple board game, who needs money when you have great family and friends around you😁
Maria, here’s the gif. Not the best quality though as I’m exhausted now so just chose the easy way out :p:
http://makeagif.com/i/EzOJs4
Oh sorry, here you go again:
http://i.makeagif.com/media/4-01-2017/EzOJs4.gif
Once again disgraceful crowd that I believe had an effect on the outcome. Then Roger says the crowd was great afterwards, lol! Losing my respect for Roger by the minute. I pray to God Rafael please beat Federer and win the title.
I believe the crowd certainly had an effect on the outcome,rafa fan. I am not a Nick fan but did feel sorry for him at that moment. He was 5-3 with his own two serves to follow. He practically had the win in the bag and the distraction caused by some fans ( Fed fans obviously ) were a deliberate, and successful, act to alter the momentum of the game.
It just seems so wrong. Some might say Nick should have been able to handle the distractions, but at that crucial moment it would have been too much to expect.
If they do the same to Rafa to-morrow if a similar situation occurs in the game I don’t know that he could avoid being upset by it either.
If he loses to Fed , and he very well could, I would not want it to be due in part to untimely distractions from Fed fans Nor would I wish to see that behaviour from Rafa fans either.
However I congratulate Roger for his win and the standard of his game throughout the match, winning against big serving guy 14 years younger than himself.
The let’s hope that tomorrow the crowd are in Rafa’s side or at least be fair minded. Not sure if their reaction had any effect on Nick ,he just needs to take a leaf out of Andy’s book , if the crowd boo him he actually finds it amusing and feeds off it
Fed won. Nick DF handing Fed the MP, then of course the veteran prevailed. But have to congratulate him anyway.
76 67 76 Fed
Poor Nick. But he’ll learn from this defeat. And I’m sure he has gained a lot of fans after from match.
Come Sunday, another Fedal. Not good for my heart health now. 🙁
Will need my fellow RNF friends (I don’t have a Raffy now, Susie).
Rest well, everyone. See you on Sunday. 🌛
I can relate re “heart health” Vy.
I may follow the score online only unless Rafa is winning. Federer is really on fire now, but it’s also true that could have been anyone’s match.
I can’t help feeling Fed is lucking out with both Berd and Nick DFing, Berf for MP, Nick for the point before MP that gave Fed MP
I had the same feeling with AO17 too, Rafalite. Stan clearly choked and Fed basically admitted so.
Ech! Fed got off the hook again! due to Nick’s DF (classic nick going for a huge 2nd serve) probably bcz he was pisssed about the crowd yelling out when he was making a shot previous point, which he lost.
So the crowd had an effect.
Nick made an amazing effort right up till that DF.
Djok has to endure this all the time against Fed. with Rafa the crowd’s a bit better.
I suspect there’s a Fed’s fan here making pushing the dislike buttons his/her life mission.
Rafalite, this is so often the case in Fed matches. That’s why I never like any of his opponents’ chance when the set goes to a TB, even if it’s Rafa. Plus like Rafa, now matter what people say about his godlike talent, he’s a also hell of fighter. His talent alone can’t win him big titles, especially in the “Golden Era”.
Haha I wondered about that VY, getting thumbs down merely for rooting for Nick?
Some day I’ll write you a novel concerning Fed fans and his infinite holiness.
I rooted hard for Djok in all those slams against Fed where the crowd was so much against Djok–and I barely like Djok, but better than I like Fed.
Fed looks stronger now than I’ve ever seen him. Well, the clay still belongs to Rafa ( and maybe Djok and Wawrinka). and I don’t think Fed will sustain this level indefinitely.
And yes, he is a huge fighter. But when everyone is calling you GOAT, it tends to have an effect.
When it comes to Fed, Stan can’t “kill the father.” Too bad.
Wow, crazy BHCC angle from Nick.
THIRD TB! Exhausted already 🙁
Terrible crowd 😡
no kidding
65mph serve from Nick!! I can’t….
Susie, Raffy, are you there? 🐱
Sorry vy was so disappointed that Federer won I logged off. I felt so sorry for nick and in the cold light of day I still do. Tie breaks in a final set are really unfair at times. I just hope rafa doesn’t lose a 3rd final tomorrow and that Federer doesn’t win a 3rd.
Nick holds again at 2-2 third set. Exhausting stuff.
Mirka caught on camera cheering for Fed’s opponent’s miss again. >__<
Mirka 🙁
http://i.imgur.com/q0TBecA.gif
Is that a boo? Bizarre looking.
Wow you missed that, Rafalite? Yeah she was clearly booing but what do you mean by “bizarre”?
By BIzarre, just that it looks so … weird. I find Mirka … creepy and unappealing.
I’m so proud of Nick, he’s played extraordinary tennis this week and has forced a third set 🙂 hope they tire each other out lol
OMG a 3rd set
This is good for Rafa, mentally exhaustng for both men
I hope it’s windy on Sunday, very windy