The draw for Montreal was performed on Friday afternoon. After a first round bye, Rafael Nadal will play the winner of a match between a qualifier and Borna Coric. He could face John Isner in the third round, prior to a quarter-final against Milos Raonic.
Rafa’s potential route to the final:
- First round: Bye
- Second round: Borna Coric
- Third round: John Isner or Juan Martin del Potro
- Quarter-final: Milos Raonic
- Semi-final: Alexander Zverev
- Final: Roger Federer
If the men play to seed the quarter-final line up will be:
- Rafael Nadal vs. Milos Raonic
- Alexander Zverev vs. Milos Raonic
- Dominic Thiem vs. Grigor Dimitrov
- Roger Federer vs Kei Nishikori
Rafa has won the Canadian title three times, most recently at Coupe Rogers in 2013.
Our champ needs to reach the semi-finals to return to the top spot in the ATP Rankings. Our champ was last No. 1 in June 2014. He has spent a total of 141 weeks at No. 1.
Good luck Rafa! VAMOS!!
Hi Rainier,
Although Rafa is my absolute favorite, I am an equal opportunity fan. I love when other players win titles as well. For instance, it was great to see Kohlschreiber, Sasha, Sam, Ferrer, Feli Lopez and others win titles this season. They all work so hard and are fun to watch. Theres’ room for everybody! (That’s also why I loved Rafa’s birthday greeting to Roger about stop winning and give something to the younger ones!) I got a kick out of that comment as Margo did! Don’t even know if that’s in Roger’s DNA. Oh well!
I just want to see a fair fight among the very top players with regard to the scheduling, best court assignments and draws though I understand draws are random. When a top player gets an easy draw it’s like giving a super-fast runner a mile headstart ahead of everyone else. And I agree Roger’s MTO’s are about gamemanship not actual injury which is unfortunate but what can you do!
Regarding the media, I just take them with a grain of salt. They often have top players dead to rights (no matter what the sport) when they are declining due to injury or lack of confidence. Then when those athletes forge great come-backs the media just look and sound ridiculous. Even when they constantly put Roger on a pedastal, who cares. What I love about Rafa he is so down to earth and respectful of all his opponents. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the rest of the tournament. Remember there’s another one next week. Cheers!
I saw Rafa in a Happy Birthday to Roger video. Rafa was all smiles as he wished his friend a Happy Birthday. He also asked Roger to stop winning and leave something for the younger ones. I had to smile at that one. Let’s see if Roger complies.
Rafa get your third Montreal title. The best to you.
RAFA ROCKS 150%
Hi Margo. Fed also said this time last year Rafa was injured so he wished Rafa would get the world no1 ranking. 🙂
Federer said he wished Rafa would get the No. 1 ranking because Rafa was injured? I’m confused.
RAFA ROCKS 150% YES HE DOES
Was glad to learn that Goffin and del Potro are back.
Diego Schwartzman and H. Chung routed Dominic Thiem and Feliciano Lopez respectively.
RAFA ROCKS 150%
Rafa got the toughest draw compared Federer who got the easiest draw. Rafa has to fight off many stoppers whereas Fed has straight cake walk into Final…
still good Luck Rafa…
Reverse it Rafa… Loads of love from India. #VamosRAFA
So Rafa will play Coric in R2 and potentially Del Potro in R3. His 2 losses against Coric were when he’s injured (Basel 2014 and Cinci 2016) and Del Potro has won their last 2 matches (Shanghai 2013 and Rio 2016). Now it’s a good chance for him to “revenge” those losses and most importantly be more confident. Normally when he’s healthy and plays well, he should have no problem beating them.
Berdych has just withdrawn from Montreal. Fed’s draw now is even lighter since Berdych imo has the most potential to upset Fed in his half. Still Fed in the final is almost a foregone conclusion this time with or without him. So while I want Rafa to win the whole thing, I’d admittedly selfishly rather him losing before the final than losing to Fed as the new world’s no1.
But then again, one match at a time. One more day of waiting feels like forever…
Hi Rainier,
Well, it’s just another birthday present for Roger. What else is new?
You are correct Rafa was injured when he lost to Coric twice. I even believe
he had appendicitis at Basal the 1st time he played Coric.
In any event I look forward to watching a healthy Rafa compete. He’s always a pleasure to watch.
Hi Diane. Thiem was also sent out yesterday by Schartzman but not that Thiem was a contender anyway. Don’t get me wrong, Rafa is my ultimate favourite but I’m a Fed fan as well and I like him as a person. He’s such a nice guy and talented as hell. I just don’t like the how the media, commies (especially them!) unconditionally praise him as the goat or call him God since the early days when he was still far away from the Greats before him and that he used to be such a sore loser despite the “perfect” image of a gentleman and his Sportsmanship awards almost every year. Even his “tactical” MTOs at AO this year, candidly admited by him (well, I like that abt him actually), were overlooked while Rafa has been doubted by many and even called cheater over the years with his real MTOs and retirements.
I was sad abt the way Rafa lost to him but other part of me was also happy for Fed this year, though admittedly not as much had Rafa been the winner. My “relationship” with Fed is a bit complicated lol. But still I really love the guys at times. I really hope Rafa and the top guys will get inspired by Fed and play at high level for several years more with a smart scheduling.
Does anyone remember the draw at Indian Wells this year? Wasn’t it where everyone, and I mean everyone, was in the bottom half, leaving Murray on his own in the top half, and he still didn’t manage to win.
Hi Michele,
Yes you are right, Murray (top ranked player) in that tourney was in the top half
while the bottom half was stacked with all the dangerous players. As a matter
of fact, the bottom half was called the “Group of Death in the desert” for that reason. I remember that well.