Rafael Nadal and Pablo Carreno Busta will be facing each other for the fourth time in their careers when they meet in the quarterfinals of the French Open on Wednesday.
Date: June 7, 2017
Match time: 11 AM local time / 5 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 10 AM BST – United Kingdom / 11 AM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 7 PM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa has the edge over the friend and fellow countryman Pablo, with a 3-0 head-to-head record.
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Rio de Janeiro Brazil |
Outdoor Clay | R32 | Rafael Nadal |
61 64
|
| 2016 | Doha Qatar |
Outdoor Hard | R32 | Rafael Nadal |
675 63 61
|
| 2015 | Rio de Janeiro Brazil |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
75 63
|
Pablo on playing Rafa:
It is really difficult, because Rafa is maybe the best player on this surface in history, and he’s playing really well. But I will try. I’m playing well, with a lot of confidence.
- Rafa is bidding to become the first man in the Open Era to reach 10 semifinals in Paris
- If he defeats Carreno Busta, Rafa will become just the 5th man in the Open
Era to reach 10 semifinals at a single Grand Slam event - By reaching the quarterfinals, Rafa and Carreno Busta have guaranteed Spanish representation in the semifinals here for the first time since 2014 when Rafa went on to win his 9th Roland Garros title.
- Rafa has a 13-0 win-loss record against his fellow Spanish players at Roland Garros and a 20-3 win-loss record against Spaniards at the Grand Slams overall. His only defeats to Spanish players at the majors came
against David Ferrer at both the 2007 US Open and the 2011 Australian Open, and Fernando Verdasco at the 2016 Australian Open. - Rafa is looking to record his 22nd clay court match-win of the season, while Carreno Busta is aiming for his 21st.
- Rafa has not lost a clay court match to a player ranked as low as No. 21 today’s opponent since falling No. 45 Pablo Cuevas in the semifinals at 2016 Rio de Janeiro.
- Rafa and Carreno Busta won a doubles title together at 2016 Beijing, defeating Jack Sock/Bernard Tomic in the final.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ITF
Well said, mjus. The thing I worry about most is Rafa’s serve. I wasn’t able to watch the match against Pablo but heard that Rafa lost his serve twice in the first set, even though he won it 6-2. He can’t afford to gift his serve to Thiem!!!
I’m not surprised that Thiem beat Djoko, considering the score line of his previous matches this tournament. Thiem had more power and apetite for the fight.
It’s good that Rafa didn’t use up too much energy in his match against Pablo, because he’ll need all his mental and physical strength for the fight against Thiem. I’m sure Carlos Moyà has emphasised to Rafa the need for variety, to get Thiem on the move and accurate serving. I’m with you all the way Rafa. Best of luck for the semis. Thiem can wait as his time will come, but not this time!!!
hello lorna,
you right. If you compare nadal this tournament with the australian open. He has waisted no energy at all. I think he is ready fysically and emotionally and fired up.
Nadal see this as just another match. But in my opinion nadal has something to prove. He has to prove that his loss in rome was a accident. Second the anti nadal pundits and commentators are going to analyse this match. Thiem is launching an attack on nadal throne and title king of clay.
If nadal loses they will consider this as changing of the guard and going to write him off again just like they did several times in the past both with him and federer. So there is something at stake.
I hope that nadal knows what he did wrong in Rome. Thiem is a player who has very agressive deep groundstrokes and is determined and confident now more because he has beaten easily djokovic in three sets
Thiem return is also very good and he can easily keep up the pace with nadal and overpower him at some point. So nadal needs to serve and return agressivily hit deep groundstrokes and mixed things up come to the net.
Rafa needs to be ready like he was ready in 2013 for Novaaaaak. He needed some big luck in that fifth set but in the latter stage, he was able to fire winners from both win at scores of 6 all, 7 all etc. That is where the boys are separated from the man. That is how Rafa beat Dimitrov at Aussie Open this year (in much lesser form nonetheless) and that is – it disgusts me to this day – how Rafa got beaten by Fed in Aussie Open (one of the worst matches of Rafa this year and without a doubt the worst he ever played against Fed in a major match).
If djoko reached semis ,it could be even worse for him…He should be glad that he lost to Thiem…Rafa La Decima is for yours…
Vamos Rafa..
No doubt we might see a different Novak at Wimbledon , rumours on the internet and didn’t the commentator’s mention that Goran Ivanisevic who has just been fired by Berdych might also join Novak’s team
Gosh he’s clearly getting desperate. Needs to make up his mind which super coach he wants.
I think by what’s been said he want both on his team ,but could be just hearsay