The draw for the Barcelona tournament is out. Rafael Nadal will start his title defense by playing the winner of a match between Rogerio Dutra Silva (No. 70) and Renzo Olivo (No. 93).
Seeds in Rafa’s half include A. Zverev, Kolhschrieber, Ferrer, Goffin, Cuevas, Sousa and Nishikori. Seeds in the other half are A. Murray, F. Lopez, Ramos-Vinolas, Bautista Agut, Thiem, M. Zverev, Gasquet and Carreno Busta.
Rafa’s potential route to the final:
- 1st round: Bye
- 2nd round: Rogerio Dutra Silva or Renzo Olivo
- 3rd round: Philipp Kolhschrieber
- Quarter-final: Alexander Zverev
- Semi-final: Kei Nishikori
- Final: Andy Murray
- Andy Murray vs Roberto Bautista Agut
- Dominic Thiem vs Pablo Carreno Busta
- Alexander Zverev vs Rafael Nadal
- David Goffin vs Kei Nishikori
For Rafa this will be his 13th participation at the tournament, where he will play for his 10th title. During Rafa’s 12 appearances in the City of Barcelona, he has compiled a 49-3 record.
UPDATED: Kei Nishikori has been forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a right wrist injury. Frenchman Benoit Paire will take his spot in the draw.
Source: ATP World Tour
Good luck tomorrow Rafa , you deserved to win .You will need to grow a thick skin overnight as you know the crowd will not make you feel welcome . No 10 is yours Rafa. You are the king of clay 😁 and this weekend Spain is the king of tennis.
If rafa wins tomorrow and is booed I will not be happy maria. He had sweet FA to do with any of that!
Rafantastic, Rafa has just taken the match , no surprise to let you know that the lovely crowd booed him. Good job you didn’t see as it wasn’t pleasant . No need to wonder what Spanish player they will be behind tomorrow.
Thx. for the feedback Maria 😊🌸 – Was following a bit on Scoreboard/Livescores… At least in there I couldn’t hear that totally disrespectful crowd. – That booing was way over 👎🏻😕😥
Congratulations sweet Rafa. Good on you champ. Go win that final tomorrow – you deserve it soo much 🤗❤️🍀
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) Playing beautifully leading 6:3 1st Set and gliding forward 2nd set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) Often miscalls are happening against you and this is no fault of players…..Daveed is as honest player and has kind sportsmanship as you, and so I feel for him with this miscall. BUT he in other matches, often finds it difficult to come back from challenges….so what is happening in his reduced game is nothing new. SO it is not your fault this miscall happened, and simply enjoy and know it is YOUR TENNIS & DRIVE & CONVICTION that earns you victories!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) When you win this match, it is due completely to your classy BRILLIANT CLAY GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : )
VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Lots of love & happiness sweetheart & keep going you are looking fantastic and solid on the court!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
Goff should have taken a bathroom break after 1rst set.
He needed to cleanse himself.
I understand how he feels, it almost looks like he’s tanking now but he isn’t. He just can’t be bothered, can’t get beyond his feelings.
Anyone who has actually played the game knows how this feels.
But it’s the next step for him as a player.
The match is shite now.
Yep, Goffin needs to at least TRY to get over it. The majority of the crowd is behind him now but he needs to do it himself. I feel for him. I really like him. But if he wants to be a truly top player this is a lesson for him to learn. Nobody can do it all without experiencing and learning no matter how things seem unfair sometimes.
All true. But the level of unfair here was extremely high.
I have no doubt Goff would have won the set without that bad ump call. He was outplaying Rafa by quite a margin.
And I think Goff knew he had to take the 1rst set to stand a chance.
But still, he had to get over it.
I understand why he couldn’t though.
I like him no less for this.
This is a rare Rafa win where I feel no joy at all.
Match: tainted. We were all robbed.
Come on Rafa , you have this now fair and square . I don’t believe Goffin will or can beat you even without the bad call. Like the crowd he needs to push it to one side and show us what he’s made of.
Agree, Maria. Rafa was starting to play better before that misunfortunate overrule, and it’s sad to watch him trying to be professional and play as he’s expected to do while the crowd’s still hostile and doesn’t seem to get over it any time soon. 🙁
Hey Raf fans, please keep me updated. – They just cut the match short here in Dk in favor of a handball match. – Rerun later to night though. – Just not quite the same 😳😐
VAMOS RAFA! Keep the lead plz. 🤗🍀
Rafantastic, Rafa now 5-1 in second set . Lovely Nico Rosberg fro formula one in crowd
I’m also worried for Rafa. Who knows what he’s really feeling right now. He can get distracted and more upset than he expected…
Rafa breaks!
🙁 Goffin, please try to get over it and get back to your rhythm.
Goff still can’t find anything. He is emotionally ruined.
He was so pumped up at the beginning, his mood now is so black.
Rafa would a fool not to capitlize immediately (he did, but missed a few opportunities) Goff is handing him the match but OI understand how Goff feels and why it is so hard to overcome what happened to him.
Again, huge shame. That ump needs to be re-educated, and the lineman should have spoken up.
Maybe those of you without commies missed these things …
Gotta go guys – will try and check scores. Maria if they say when the highlights are on sky wld you let me know if you can and what channel. Thanks. Good luck Rafa!
Will do Susie, enjoy your brother’s birthday 🎂
Watched that shot again- truly awful umpiring and just happy it didn’t turn awful the next day.
A belated goodbye, enjoy the rest of the day.
See you tomorrow, I hope …
I will be here 2mrw rafalite – wouldn’t miss it for anything
So can anyone confirm it was Rafa who challenged the line call or the umpire just made the overrule himself?
It was the umpire – noone asked him to look
Thanks Susie. Hope you’ll receive good news on your way soon 🍀🌼.
Here, here Maria (England). Not Rafa’s fault. The French crowd can get very hostile!
The match has gone flat in terms of atmosphere. Even though I want Rafa to win, fair is fair, Goffin should have won that controversial point! Why did Cedric Murier come down to look at the mark? He wasn’t called to do so. The umpire should be taken out of the equation. Bring in hawk eye!
Exactly Lorna
that’s what I say, but they don’t ono clay. It needs to change. The match is now tainted.
Oh well, luck does play a role in tennis, and Rafa was in need of some.
The crowd should be ashamed of themselves , the hostility they are showing towards Rafa is disgraceful . Mind you shouldn’t be surprised as they don’t show much loyalty to their own players. Sorry just annoyed
Wow. Match has been tainted by one bad call, but a huge one.
Crowd should stop booing at this point.
Goff plays like he 9is already beat, cannot get over that call.
I think Goff knew he needed the 1rst sewt if he was to win, he could not withstand 3 sets with Rafa and win.
We’ll see if he regroups.
But for now it’s all Rafa. Goff looks ruined.
Just spoilt the whole match for me now , Even if Rafa wins people are always going to say he he shouldn’t have . Unmpire at fault not Rafa . Where’s Mohammed Lahyani when you need him
Seriously – the umpire cocked up and goffin had a go. He needs to get over it now and booing rafa is not the answer – jonny mac used to scream at botched calls and then just got on with it. The crowd needs to calm down as it’s pissing me off and as you say Maria – the whole match will be tainted now
I don’t like this at all, Susie. Even if Rafa wins the whole thing there’ll be talk like he doesn’t really deserve it, the historical La Decima :(.
Wow.
All Rafa now after he got that lucky wrong call by the ump
Goff wouldhave had a 4/2 lead, no wonder the crowd was booing.
I sense that has gotten to Goff and also Rafa is grinding him down, things look way better now but it could change
That was ahuge error by the ump[ and it shows they should use hawkeye on clay
Grinding? Rafalite, I think Rafa was upset by the crowd’s boo but because of that he determined to finish (aka winning) the game asap. He clearly played more aggressively, taking the initiative and deservingly won the points he won minus the terrible overule from the umpire.
🙁 Didn’t expect this at all. Poor bth players.
Yes grinding.I don’t use that word perjoratively, btw. Of course he won his points after the bad call deservingly, but the point is, Goff’s level dropped drastically as a result of the call.
I think you know that ….
WAY TO GO RAFA!! 😍👍🏻
God i wish the crowd would get over it , it’s not the first and won’t be the last wrong call to be made. Hope it doesn’t affect Rafa’s performance. Maybe if Goffin hadn’t made such a song and dance about it , the match had only just started , i could understand it if it was in the final set. Gone off Goffin big time
it was huge error would have been 4/2 Goff
I understand Goffin being upset but I’m sure Rafa has had a call go against him in the past , you just have to deal with it like the top guys. And to be truthful that one point isn’t going to win the match , i think it shows desperation from Goffin
I’ve been watching tennis literally for decades since I was a small kid and in the 70s 80s and 90s this kind of thing happened all the time i.e. bad umpire calls. No need not to have hawkeye on clay – it would save upset and those bloody awful boos!
Def a need! That call wouldn’t have happened. I too have been playing and watching for the same amount of time.
Not saying I agree with the crowd still booing though.
That is separate.
That was a match changing call, no reg miscall. Goff would have probably had the 1rst set.
I would not underplay the importance of that one call. Just huge.
The first set outcome may have been different, not sure that would change the outcome of the match but who knows.
No i agree maria. Really not liking these boos