Rafael Nadal’s bid for a 17th grand slam title will continue on Friday against the Bosnian 28th seed Damir Dzumhur.
Date: 19 January 2018
Match time: 7 PM local time (AEST) / 3 AM EST – New York, Montreal / 8 AM GMT – United Kingdom /9 AM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa and Damir played only once, which was in the 2016 Miami Masters, a match Dzumhur won in three sets before our champ retired with illness and dizziness.
Rafa on facing Damir:
“Damir has improved a lot [since we played at 2016 Miami]. He is a tough opponent… [and] he knows how to play tennis very well… The only way to win is play at a higher rhythm than him and try to play aggressive, try to play with the highest intensity possible out there. That’s what I going to try. I hope to be ready to make that happen.
Another straight sets win although rafa was a little up and down towards the end but who cares. 3 down and 4 to go – he’s getting closer. Good luck for the next one!!
Rafa breaks again thanks partly to Dzumhur and now will serve for the match but I still don’t feel too confident.
This match is too messy to my liking. Hopefully it’s just the heat that got to Rafa but I doubt that.
Pls get the job done without drama, Rafa.
Rafa got passed again at 30all on his serve and it’s another uncomfortable service game.
This set is not better than the 2nd in terms of his play.
Don’t know what got to him. He’s playing with no confidence in his shot. Dzumhur is playing well but not that great or too consistent.
Dzumhur with his drop shots again. I hate watching Rafa have to scramble again and again like this. Shouldn’t be this taxing, this match.
A great rally at ad Rafa which Dzumhur won with a perfect lob. Rafa got outplayed again.
Dzumhur backed it up with an good volley to the open court and held his serve.
Feeling like they’ve been playing this set forever but it’s only 3-1.
1st break in the set to Rafa. Dzumhur is playing very well but simply can’t sustain his level in every shot. Rafa was a bit lucky to get this break tbh.
Can’t say I’m enjoying this match. Very inconsistent from both players and sine when Rafa got outplayed in those grinding contests? 🙁
Finally Rata holds after 5 dueces and 10′.
He got away with a bad approach off which Dzumhur missed a sitter passing shot to the whole court.
It’s not a vey wise decision to go to the net when you’re not feeling too comfortable. The Muller match tells us that.
Very uncomfortable 1st game for Rafa. He still can’t put his 1st serve in which is troublesome. Reaction is also a lot slower.
Come on, Rafa. Hold this thing.
Dzumhur varrying the pace and spin very well and Rafa mistimed a low FH.
Duece.
Another miss at the net which could be seem before he hit it but an ace took it back to duece.
It looks efforless but actually not too easy, the last volley winner from Rafa with a pefect control of the wrist.
30all
1st point of the set Dzumhur who displayed his great speed and defensive skills and made Rafa miss another volley.
1st point of the set to Dzumhur
Another one at 30-15 on Dzumhur’s serve! 💪🏻💪🏻
A viscous CCBH again which Dzumher participated well but could only put his racquet on it and Rafa got his double break!
Good to see Rafa getting his mojo back again.
61 63
Rafa serves first in the 3rd.
Rafa must be aggressive and relentless.
Cmon Rafa!!!!
Yes Rainier! Rafas Level has dropped and his strokes have become tentative. Hope he can keep his level of confidence rather higher than lower.
2 superb forehands down the line!!!
Keep it up Rafa!!! Yaaay
Vamos
Hi Rafa fan 1. Nice to see you here.
Commies saying this is the worst set Rafa has played in this tourney and I have to agree.
He just looks uncomfortable for some reason, can’t serve well and started grinnding again. 1st serve % dropped to 48% which is dismal.
Finally a good BHDTL winner to take it to 5-3, followed by a classic FHDTL winner in the next game. 🙂
Dzumhur feeling the ball really well now.
He holds to love after an embarrassing missed volley from Rafa.
I have the feel that Rafa started to get rattled after Dzumhur’s 1 dropshot. The quality in his hittin has clearly dropped since then and so has the aggressiveness and confidence.
Dzumhur trying to employ his dropshot “speciality”.
Rafa’s serve dropping now. He’s only serving at 60% and it lost a little bite.
4-2 Rafa
In the last 2 games Rafa got pushed back and consequently Dzumhur made him work harder.
Still he couldn’t sustain his flash of great play and Rafa broke back immediately.
3-2
Still I guess it’s gonna be less straightforward from now on.
Vintage FHCCPS from Rafa at 30all, 2-1. Vamos!
But I can see his level has dropped. There’s tentativeness in his grounstrokes and again when he came to the net while being like that, he missed.
Credit to Dzumhur though. He’s getting into his rhythm and hit 2 great winners to break Rafa.
1st dropshot from Dzumhur, finally. 🙂
But Rafa wasn’t to determined to chase it down, which is a very good sign. He didn’t need to.
Dzumhur’s level has raised a bit and he held to 30 to the crowd’s cheering. 🙂
2-1 2nd set Rafa leads
2nd set
Such a shame Dzumhur DFed twice to give Rafa a BP. He redeemed himself with an well-placed ace but Rafa replied with a beautiful CCBH return winner of his own which has become more and more a normalcy. 🙂
After 3 dueces Rafa broke then held in the blink of an eye again.