On Monday, Rafael Nadal will play a former world No. 13 Alexandr Dolgopolov for a place in the last eight at the US Open in New York City.
Date: 4 September 2017
Match time: Rafa is second on Ashe. Around 1 PM EDT – New York, Montreal / 6 PM BST – United Kingdom / 7 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / Monday 3 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
On playing Dolgopolov, Rafa said:
I need to play aggressive. I need to feel that when I‘m hitting the forehand, he’s not able to take advantage on the point. That’s going to be my goal.
Dolgopolov on facing Rafa:
I think people underestimate he’s an all-around player, you know. He serves solid. He gives you, like, 70% first serves normally. He’s a lefty. He volleys. If you play defensive, he can come in and volley.
He’s stronger than just the forehand. It’s not only the forehand that is the problem. For sure, the five-set problem is his physical condition. He’s really strong, and in a five-setter, it’s tougher to compete with him.
I’m not a young player anymore. I don’t think I’m going to get intimidated by the No. 1 player or the stadium or the occasion. If I’m comfortable, I’m healthy. I’ll just go there and try to win, because I beat him in three sets, but obviously a five-set match, only thing that worries me is staying mentally there and physically next to him, because he’s really strong physically, I think. Game-wise, you know, I’ll have a plan. Hopefully I can execute it and give him problems.
Rafa, who owns a tour-leading 52 match wins this year, leads head-to-head series 6-2.
Here are the matches Rafa and Dolgopolov have played against each other:
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Brisbane Australia |
Outdoor Hard | R32 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2016 | Rio de Janeiro Brazil |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal |
W/O
|
| 2015 | London / Queen’s Club Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | R32 | Alexandr Dolgopolov | |
| 2014 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R32 | Alexandr Dolgopolov | |
| 2014 | Rio de Janeiro Brazil |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2013 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai China |
Outdoor Hard | R32 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2012 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2010 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R32 | Rafael Nadal |
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
ci……ci……ci…..VAMOS DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE your one match at a time one point at a time ……keep going sweetheart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 😉 : ) Keep playing your magic and all is well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 😉 😉 wi…….wi…….wi……wi….& triple CI………. EVERYTHING YOU DO ON THE COURT IS GENIUS……..FANTASTIC TENNIS & lots of FUN TO WATCH LIVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE PLAYING MAGNIFICENT TENNIS DEAR RAFA …….and WE TRUST OUR INSIGHT that YOU ARE HEADING TO YOUR VICTORY WITH YOUR SOLID PLAY…. LOVE IT ALL AND TRUSTING YOUR BLESSED MOMENTUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) THIS WAS A GREAT, EXCITING MATCH & YOU WERE THE STRONGER PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE HAVING GREAT FUN and THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT & SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU ARE THE STRONGEST, MOST PRECIOUS PLAYER ON THE TOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) OH YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) BY FAR……………….VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KEEP GOING WITH YOUR POWERFUL, BRILLIANT SHOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) : ) : ) YOU HAD SOME OUTSTANDING RETURNS…….. KEEP SMILING DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) You have such classy Tennis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Classy ACES and everything…… WE LOVE YOU & WE KNOW with each beautiful match and each simple point, YOU ARE THE STRONGER MAN STANDING……. ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Have lots of fun playing and knowing that YOU ARE SO INCREDIBLE & SPECIAL OUT THERE ON THE COURT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) When ESPN played some replays with slow motion SPEED YOU looked so VERY BEAUTIFUL and TIGER LIKE…..HUNGRY …..SPEEDY…. SMOOTH….. & MIGHTY GORGEOUS & MUSCLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Have fun celebrating your amazing victory dear Rafa & enjoy your blessed tour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) We have such instinctive good feeling about your US OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ci……ci…..ci….. enjoy everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) 🙂 & lets keep singing: LETS GO RAFA LETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) Lots of love sweetheart & happiness & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXO