On Saturday, Rafael Nadal will play his semi-final match at the Shanghai Masters against fourth seed Marin Cilic.
Our champ is chasing a seventh title in a brilliant season and a hat-trick of triumphs on the hard courts, having been crowned US Open and China Open champion in recent weeks.
Match time: 4.30 PM local time / 4.30 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 9.30 AM BST – United Kingdom / 10.30 AM CEST – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 7.30 PM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on playing Cilic:
He always is very dangerous opponent, and I think this surface, this court helps him. It’s a very fast court. He’s able to go for the shots from the baseline. It will be a tough one. I know that I need to be very focused with my serve again, and I need to play aggressive and don’t let him play from comfortable positions. If not, I will be almost dead because he is going to go for the shots.
Rafa holds an 4-1 lead in his head-to-head series with Cilic, including victories in their past four meetings. Cilic beat our champ 6-1, 6-3 in Beijing way back in 2009.
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Acapulco Mexico |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Rafael Nadal |
61 62
|
| 2015 | Basel Switzerland |
Indoor Hard | QF | Rafael Nadal |
46 63 63
|
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal |
61 63
|
| 2011 | Australian Open Australia |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
62 64 63
|
| 2009 | Beijing China |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Marin Cilic |
61 63
|
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Rafa, don’t play another 2017 tournament. Rest, get healthy and prepare for the Australian Open
Thank god it ended in straight sets.Cilic was brilliant in many ways and was ready to go full flow so it’s important for Rafa to end it in 2 sets because even then it was exhausting. Come on Rafa gets the shanghai title. The trophy is one of those unluckier ones which hasn’t touched your teeth yet😀
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) 🙂 🙂 🙂 WATCHING YOUR RIDING CHALLENGES WITH FORTHRIGHT STRENGTH & INSPIRATION & PLAYING YOUR GIFTED MOVES & GROOVES & AMAZING TENNIS IS VERY SPECIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) NOBODY PLAYS MORE BRILLIANTLY THAN YOU SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!: ) KEEP GOING ……..wi…..wi…..wi….. A POINT AT A TIME………I HAVE SUCH GOOD INSIGHTFUL SENSE THIS IS YOURS AND YOURS AND YOURS TO HAVE FUN AND ENJOY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) 😉 : ) : ) YOU ARE THE STRONGER AND BETTER PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOUR PRECIOUS ENDURANCE & FOCUS & SERVE & SPEEDY REACTIONS & NET & SHEER POWER IS MAGNIFICENT AND VERY SPECIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOUR TIE BREAKS SO GOOD & CLASSY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) wi…….wi……wi…..and what I absolutely love about your playing is watching your passion on your handsome face with each point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) I LOVE THE COURT CAMERA CLOSE UPS …….SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU DEAR RAFA & WILL KEEP SINGING LETS GO RAFA LETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ENJOY LOTS OF FUN …….NOTHING FANCY JUST ANOTHER MATCH……PLAYING POINT BY POINT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) NO MORE NO LESS……..ENJOY SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) AND HAVING FUN IS YOUR GENIUS SPECIALTY !!!!!!!!!!!: ) : ) : ) VERY NICE TO SEE YOU OUT THERE ENJOYING THE INS & OUTS OF EACH MATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) THAT BEAUTIFUL SMILE & THE KNOWING YOU HAVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
YEH RAFA YEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) :);) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!:) : ) CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOLID BRILLIANT VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 GREAT EXCITING MATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) KEEP SMILING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 : ) : ) : ) WATCHING YOUR PASSION AND CLASSY TENNIS IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE GLIDING & SLIDING & SERVING ACES & FEISTY AIMED WINNERS BEAUTIFULLY……. KUDOS GENIUS CHAMP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) VERY EXCITING TO WATCH YOUR AGGRESSIVE , PERSISTENT, FIGHTING AND WE LOVE YOUR CLASSY, FEISTY, POWERFUL, DETERMINED BRILLIANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) TENNIS IN ITS BEST EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) BRILLIANT SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):) Very happy for you!!!!!!!: ) ENJOY EVERYTHING SWEETHEART & CELEBRATE YOUR BEAUTIFUL TENNIS & SOLID WIN WITH THE TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 😉 🙂 🙂 HAVE FUN TONIGHT & A LOVELY EVENING & ENJOY A BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 😉 🙂 🙂 wi……wi……wi…..&….. ci…….ci….. ci……VERY Very happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 😉 🙂 ENJOY YOUR FANTASTIC COMMAND & HAVE LOTS OF FUN PLAYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) IT WILL BE A GREAT MATCH FOR YOU SENIOR SWEETHEART NADAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 😉 : ) : ) : ) WE WILL ENJOY EACH POINT WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ci……ci…….ci……. LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Phew! This is a bit too much to my liking and I guess Rafa’s as well. A tough fullsetter in the shape of a straightset match. Fortunately Rafa didn’t have to play the night match. But he looks a bit worried and underwhelmed when the match ended to my eyes. Hope he will recover as possible and not overthink about the final (and during it).
I can’t say I like the way Rafa was playing in this match. It’s clear right from the start that he wanted a short match and while he came in swinging and hit some fantastic winners, he also misses widely, especially those 2 impatient FHDLT on both BPs in the 1st and 3rd game. Had he converted one of those 4 BPs, it might have been a different match.
That or if he just hold his serve “normally” in the 2nd set.
He made things more complicated than it should be. Don’t get me wrong. I like Cilic and don’t think he could have played any better today. But it’s clear the match was not on Rafa’s racquet. Just a smallest sign of him letting up a bit and Cilic stroke back right away. Very brave from him, like Dimitrov yesterday, I like that.
Anyway, I’m happy that Rafa’s through to another final. But this time things get a bit complicated again just before a potential final against Roger.
Not just AO this year, anyone remember Hamburg 2007 and Madrid 2009? Rafa was exhausted by the gruelling SF against inspired players, I mean fighters, in Hewitt and Djokovic and Fed beat him in the final with not much difficulty. Those are the only 2 times Fed beat him on clay.
The only time he came through in a similar circumstance was AO 2009, thanks God! But it’s a Slam and at least he had a resting day. It didn’t happen at the Masters though.
Fingers crossed and hoping for the best. I’m not worried so much about him losing the final against Fed again as I am about his health.
🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🍀🍀🍀
Great points Rainier. On the bright side, it did not go to a third set.
I think Rafa will get it done tomorrow no matter who ends up at the opposite side of the net. Hopefully Roger, so that Rafa can return to winning ways against him.
Rest up for tomorrow Champ!
Thanks Mac. Yes it would be a disaster had it gone to a decider. Rafa’s 2-setter SF was even longer than Fed’s 3-setter, not to mention his gruelling QG against Dimitrov. I have no doubt he must be tired by now, both mentally and physically. How tired of course I don’t know. Hopefully it’s not too much.
Pressure will be more on him than Fed tomorrow I guess. Fed has given up the chase for the no1 ranking; has already turned the matchup around just in a very short time coming back from injury. Only a fear of losing to Rafa and his momentum in this rivalry could betray him I guess.
He won’t go all out to save his body and to lift the pressure IMO. Now it’s on Rafa to hold his nerves well and play like he normally play. That should do the job even on this court.
So glad Rafa won in 2. He needs every bit of rest.
2 but it’s tougher than a straightforward 3-setter, Gianna. I would prefer it much more had Rafa lost the 1 set 6-3 without exchanging breaks, then he’d fired up, cruising through the rest 2 sets and winning the match *on his term*. Losing a set but that would be better for both his body and mentality, I believe.
The harder the fight the sweeter the final. Well done Rafa
WHEEEW!!! I am exhausted!!!
CONGRATZ Rafa. PLEASE REST FOR YOUR FINAL….
RAFA ROCKS SHANGHAI
Phew,! You can uncross now Susie.
Well done Rafa, it was a hard fought match . Good luck tomorrow in your quest to clinch the Shanghai trophy , now I need to wash my hair before I settle back down to see who your opponent will be, although I have my suspicions lol.
Im doing some errands and then rooting for delpo. So pleased for rafa and hope he wins his 1st Shanghai title. Wouldn’t that be great?
Don’t worry Susie tomorrow Rafa will be able to tick Shanghai off his list
Yes Suise. Great on many levels. Winning Shanghai finally, especially againt Fed on his favourite surface and season. Setting the tone for the season (Asian+indoor) and gaining momentum in his matchup with Fed, which is extremely important in a larger scale.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to diminish Delpo. I just can’t see him beating Fed in anyway this time. In fact I honestly wanted him not to play to save his wrist. Will be feeling uneasy watching the 2nd SF. Hope he won’t aggravate his injury, no matter now minor it is now.
It may not be an injury. I hope. Maybe just a bruising. I can’t imagine him risking all that which would be lost were he to play with an injury.
Along with you I will be watching DelPo’s SF. I hope he wins simply because he’s such a nice guy who has been through so much adversity.
RAFA ROCKS
Don’t worry Rainier – i know what you mean. I feel for delpo as if he had not had so many wrist injuries, who knows how many grand slams he could have won. Yesterday was sad to see but its officially a bruise and i doubt he would be playing if it was anything more serious
Rafa hitting short balls onto the middle court again. Pls Rafa. This is TB.
Oh i am crossing everything for this tie break
When Rafa was serving match point , this is NOT THE FIRST TIME, THIS umpire interrupted your focus with loud talking to someone about “turning off lights, thank you”….and you were taken by surprise …..but no worries….YOU WILL PREVAIL & WIN SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 😉 🙂 🙂 YOU ARE SO GOOD AT TIE BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ): ) ci…….ci……ci…..VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LETS GO RAFA LETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂