On Thursday, nine-time champion Rafael Nadal will face Alexander Zverev in the third round of the 2017 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Date: April 20, 2017
Match time: Around 2 PM local time / 8 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 1 PM BST – United Kingdom / 2 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 10 PM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa leads Zverev 2-0 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, but the 19-year-old German has pushed him to the brink in both of their meetings.
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Australian Open Australia |
Outdoor Hard | R32 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2016 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
Rafa is 20-5 on the season, which includes runner-up finishes at the Australian Open (l. to Federer), the Abierto Mexicano Telcel (l. to Querrey) and the Miami Open presented by Itau (l. to Federer).
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP World Tour
Yes Rafa, you shut up those naysayers. I hope this is what you intend on doing going forward. I did say the best was yet to come. So happy for you. Alexander is surely licking his wounds. He’s playing the big boys now so it won’t be so easy for him.
There has been so much negative crap about you lately that I feel as if you won the final.
Rest up Rafa because you have more battles ahead.
RAFA ROCKS MONTE CARLO
WORD! Margo 😊👍🏻
This is soo great 😃👏🏻
RAFA ROCKS INDEED! 🎾💪🏼❤️
This is one birthday Alexander will NEVER forget.
RAFA ROCKS
My mistake, not Goffin next, Swartzman or Struff (or Stuff or whatever.)
Then Djok or Goffin.
Mjaybe Goff can take out Djok if Djok is not top form.
Honestly I don’t fear Djok right now. This is a better Rafa than the one who barely lost to him last year, and a worse Djok.
That is the Rafa of today, not yesterday.
Tennis is fickle that way.
Susie, I just know your sat at work and your work colleagues are asking you why you have such a silly grin on your face Lol
Lol maria. Brilliant score. Was something wrong with zverev today as he usually takes rafa to the edge or was rafa playing really well?
I ask this question too.
I think Rafa got in his head very early, and Zverev knew unless he could execute his very best shots consistently he didn’t have a chance.
Also Zverev’s big serve was not so big on clay. That makles a huge difference.
Just outplayed Susie, just outplayed by the one and only king of clay 😁. Not a great birthday for Zverev but somebody needs to tell him he’s 20 today and can no longer have the excuse of being a stroppy teenager.Another broken racket ( doesn’t he know some poor tree died for that Lol)
That was a tasty meal, if not a great match.
Where are the great oracles, Maria from Siberia and Mjus (sp?) who called for a Rafa loss?
Rafa played so so well, and whether Alex was just awful or the impact of Rafa’s game discouraged him is open for discussion.
This truly was vintage Rafa. Again, when the sun is shining!
Goffin next? That could be tricky, really. But playing like this he should win. I wish Fed was here. Damn!
Don’t forget Jason rafalite – he predicted a straight set loss for rafa today
I do not even mention that character, as he was the one who called for Rafa to retire if he didn’t win RG.
I gave him a talking to for that.
I remember it well rafalite. Think he must be on the wrong site
Bravo Rafa! One way traffic. Zverev could do nothing to hurt you.The master has taught the student a good lesson!!!
🙌YES Rafa pure perfection , A+ for attitude , you came out with confidence and determination today. Rafa you played a great match, and more than made up for your performance yesterday, which you were not happy with. All we need now is for Carreno-Busta to send Novak on his merry way ( could probably Walk home🚶) and you’re path to the final will be a very promising one, and the perfect ending to a perfect day.The king of Clay has arrived 😁
IMPORTANT NOTICE : Umpire is totally inappropriate commenting such aggressive poor words , displaying rather cruel conduct after Sacha hit and broke his racket….old unprofessional umpire said : ” Take it Rafa ” then a second later he proceeded to say ” he wished it was Rafa ” THIS CALLS FOR AN OFFICIAL Complaint TO BE FILED against such downright wrongful and inappropriate commentary by clearly an unprofessional umpire conduct.
******Rafa sweetheart you are powerful and strong and commending the court beautifully!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) : ) : ) “LETS GO RAFA LETS GO ” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
The umpire didn’t make those comments ,it was Peter Fleming in the commentary box and he was joking
Gosh I’m glad you clarified that maria. I was wondering what the cheeky mohammed had got up to. Lol
it was not Fleming…it was the other OLD MAN sitting beside him covering the match ..,,,, MADE AN ERROR IT WAS NOT THE UMPIRE… but view the replay & clearly see no, he was not joking….HE acted right out upset THAT SACHA WAS GETTING NO WHERE AND RAFA WAS SOLID AS A ROCK……AND HIS COVERAGE WAS RIGHT OUT re ACTIVE, AND HE CAME UP WITH HIS NONSENSE. SUCH FOOLISH RESPONDING TOWARDS LACK OF COURT SPORTSMANSHIP MUST NOT BE ALLOWED ……WHAT KIND OF A MESSAGE DOES THAT OFFER OTHER UPCOMING YOUNG PLAYERS????
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT SACHA ADORES RAFA, HAS HIGH REGARD AND RESPECT FOR RAFA’S CLASSY TENNIS CAREER…..AND NOT SACHA, NOR HIS TEAM WOULD EVER COME UP AND SAY SUCH MEAN SPIRITED COMMENTS AS THAT POOR COMMENTATOR EXPRESSED . PUBLIC ALLY ANNOUNCED, THESE COMMENTS ARE A HUGE NO NO AND MUST BE ADDRESSED AND THIS MAN MUST MAKE A PUBLIC APOLOGY FOR HIS UNCALLED FOR UGLY COMMENTARY TOWARDS RAFA. THIS WHOLE EPISODE ONLY FURTHER ILLUSTRATES RAFA IMPECCABLE COURT SPORTSMANSHIP AND HIS OVER ALL CLASSY CONDUCT.
Keeping an eye on the score at work. Lovely!
Yes Susie , Peter was joking he was saying that’s what Zverev was thinking when he smashed the racket . I guess we all take things different ways and maybe don’t get some people’s humour and take it seriously
Wonderful!!!
A drubbing!
Just what the doctor ordered.
This will give Rafa great confidence.
He’s playing so well.
SÍ SÍ SÍ RAFA! – The King of clay is back 😃👑🎾💪🏼
Rafa plays amazing 😁👍🏻 VAMOS!! 😄💕
Brilliant Rafa, way to go😁
Goffin just beat Thiem.
RAFA IS ROCKIN’
So pleased for Goffin who just beat Thiem. Beautiful player to watch.
Rafa your Girlfriend MARY certainly seems to be your good luck charm
Who is Mary? The pigeon?
I think I know what maria is saying. Lol
No Rafas’s girlfriend , apparently Mark Petchey said that he spoke to them at the AO and she is Known as Mary and we should respect Rafa by getting his girlfriend’s name right. I’m so glad someone has cleared it up as i never knew if i should write Mary, Maria or Xisca
I have always referred to her as Mary after having read Rafa’s book. I was surprised when I first joined RNF to realize few had read his book. Rafa was very emphatic about her being called Mary. Only recently she had to tell a reporter she is called Mary.
RAFA ROCKS
Oh Xisca! Glad to hear Rafa isn’t dating the bird.
So funny Rafalite 😀😀😀. Let’s hope it’s a repeat performance in set 2.
We’re getting a repeat.
This is the kind of tennis I like best.
Rafa slaughtering a dangerous up and comer.
If Rafa wins MC he will reach two benchmarks that no man in tennis has reached: 50 titles on clay, and 10 titles at one tournament.
It will be something very significant for the record books.
Just what the doctors ordered! A great set of calm tennis from Rafa. He found his length. Nice drop shots. According to Mark Petchey on SKY, Statistically, Rafa has the best record at the net. Hope he maintains this level in the next set, unlike yesterday!
Wi………………….Wi……………………Wi………………Wi……………………..Perfection sweetheart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) Beautiful lead 6:1 1st SET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ): ) : ) : ) Ci…..Ci…. Senior!!!!!!! As the singing goes: ” GO RAFA GO ” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) Playing beautifully sweetheart….an ACE and ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : )
VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Lots of love & happiness !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
Incredible!
Zverev sucks today.
Good!
But Nadal has something to do with him sucking.
Wonder if he can regroup for the 2nd set.
Only Djok stands in Rafa’s way to the title.
Don’t worry Rafalite , Rafa has this match signed, sealed and soon to be delivered. Rafa will be the one to buck the trend of today’s shock defeats . ( Don’t mind if it returns for Novak’s match though Lol)
I’m not worried! This has been a cakewalk.
Liking this very much Rafa 😍🤗
Keep it on 🤞🏻😘 VAMOS!! 🎾💪🏼
Susie, such a shame you can’t watch the game Rafa is playing great , and my not so secret crush is umpiring Lol
Oh maria – you have mohammed there too! Will try and catch some. Each highlights but have kept my beady eyes on the score
Sorry Maria my phone has a minimum deposit of its own. I meant will try and catch some highlights
Oh lord – minimum deposit was meant to be mind of its own. Lol
Hi Susie,
Replying here to your comment below about Wimb and Laver Cup.
That’s wonderful you go to Wimb and Laver Cup (don’t know that one.) I’m old enough that in my youth I got tickets to Wimb in the 80s, mind you you had to queue for hours; not being English I had the audacity to jump ahead in line, but got caught and sent to the back again.
It was a memorable day, but don’t ask me who I saw. Never made it to CC.
I am also tennis-obsessed, though Rafa is the cause of all this tennis watching now. I played for quite a few decades till my foot gave out.
I also love live tennis and go when I can in Toronto and hang out on the back courts where you watch up close and personal. Sadly, Rafa hasn’t made it here a few years in a row, so I have never seen him live.
LOL you have a crush on Mohammed? He has his charms.
You know you watch too much tennis when you’re on a first name basis with all the umps. I am.
I like whats his name with the deep deep voice.
Oh i know who you mean rafalite except I don’t know his name! So it’s not that bad. I’m a huge tennis fan and watch whether our rafa is playing or not. I take 2 weeks annual leave for Wimbledon and get into the ballot system early so can get there when I can and I’m going to the laver cup in Prague in sept. Quite obsessed with the sport I’m afraid to say – been watching since I was a young child. Is that bad? Lol
Oh rafalite – please Google the laver cup. It’s a new tournament being played for the 1st year – based on the ryder cup in golf which is England vs rest of the world. For the laver cup ( named after Rod laver of course) it’s Europe vs the rest of the world. Borg captain of Europe and jonny mac captain for the rest of the world. Rafa has signed up to play as has Roger and rumour has it they are playing doubles together. It’s after the us open and only played in the non Olympic years. Gosh i sound so geekish – worth watching on tv I’d say if you can get it. You’d love it im sure – seriously look it up.
Wow this is going too well!
Hope it continues ….
Looking good Rafa, looking good😁
Hear hear Maria 😃 Loving it 😍👍🏻 Way to go dear Rafa 🎾💪🏼
Much better today, he’s getting great depth, and he hit a couple great winners.
Way better today.
Still won’t be easy.
Zverev can hang with Rafa in the long rallies.
Only problem so far: Rafa’s ROS. But it’s just the 3rd game.
This should be a great match. I’m feeling confident in Rafa