A two-time champion in Acapulco when the tournament was contested on clay, Rafael Nadal will start his quest for a third Abierto Mexicano Telcel crown (and first on hardcourt) on Tuesday against compatriot Feliciano Lopez.
Rafa only played this year at the Australian Open, where he retired injured from his quarter final against Marin Cilic.
I took a couple of weeks of rest and worked hard on rehabilitation. Last week I started practising hard again. I feel ready.
Date: February 27, 2018
Match time: Not before 8 PM local time / 9 PM EST – New York, Montreal / Wednesday 2 AM GMT – United Kingdom / Wednesday 3 AM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / Wednesday 1 PM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa leads the series against Feliciano Lopez 9-4. Feli’s four victories have been on quicker courts and he has won their last two meetings.
| Year | Event | Surface | RND | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati OH, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Feliciano López | |
| 2014 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai China |
Outdoor Hard | R32 | Feliciano López | |
| 2012 | Australian Open Australia |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R32 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2010 | US Open NY, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2010 | London / Queen’s Club Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | QF | Feliciano López | |
| 2009 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai China |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Rafael Nadal |
RET |
| 2008 | ATP Masters Series Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2008 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2007 | Stuttgart Germany |
Outdoor Grass | SF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2006 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R32 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2003 | Basel Switzerland |
Indoor Hard | R32 | Feliciano López |
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
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Sad news….. All over the Internet…Rafa has pulled out of Alcapulco.
I have been reporting his activities since he retired from the AO. I guess Moyá will have to chain him to his bed so he can rest and let his body heal. 😥😢
As long as Rafa can swing his racquet and strike a ball, I will be with him. He has brought me so much fun through the years. 2017 was AMAZING.
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa on why he is playing Alcapulco.
“I play this tournament because I like playing this tournament, it makes me feel very special, it makes me happy. I feel loved by the people of Mexico and also by the organization.” [Marca.com]
He also went on to praise it’s players’ facilities, its proximity to the beach, and the freedom of movement that players have. He said players are playing Alcapulco because of the great amenities.
For me that rings true because the purse for Dubai is a lot more than it is for Alcapulco. Six of the world’s top ten are in Alcapulco making it a stronger field than either Dubai or São Paulo.
RAFA ROCKS
Is going to be difficult. Lopez has a great serve on hardcourt and his net game is great. Nadal needs to serve very well. can not afford to be sloppy. Well at least he decided to practice three hours instead of five still too much at the age of 31. An hour and a half is enough.
Furthermore thinking about playing davis cup are you kidding me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! at the age of 31 wanting to play again 5 clay court tournaments. Maybe Nadal will play the laver cup again. No wonder nadal has always a bad second season. Federer is outsmarting him when it comes to managing schedules.
Too bad that moya doesnt have a backbone
Agree….he must learn from Roger to be smart with his schedule. It was stupid even to consider playing Acapulco with his injury from AO. For me Rafa always will be my favorite player, most exacting to watch,but his unwise decisions cost him a lot…and with age they will cost him more and more. Time to learn from smarty Fed.
I was thrilled to read that Rafa was quoted as saying he has been practicing three hours a day [instead of five]. I hope this is a sign that Rafa is becoming flexible in his choices. We know he doesn’t like change.
Ricky’s [The Grandstand] thoughts on Rafa’s first match:
“Lopez’s only real chance in this one is if Nadal is either rusty or not 100 percent in the wake of a hip injury that forced him to retire in the Australian Open quarterfinals against Marin Cîlíc. Otherwise, this should be one-way traffic for Acapulco’s top seed and 2017 runner-up.”
RAFA ROCKS
Good luck champ Rafa ❤️🍀🤗
VAMOOS! 🎾💪🏼😘
A few topics that were recently mentioned here were covered in a Rafa pre-MexO interview.
Asked about No. 1.
My feeling is that neither he [Federer] nor I fight to be No. 1; we make up our calendar without thinking about that. Last year I ended up as No. 1, now it is him but we don’t look for it. We became No. 1 because we had very good results. There is no strategy to search for to be No. 1. If I am No. 1, fine. If I am not, that’s fine too.
Asked about his physical condition.
Rafa said he has been practicing without tiring since he arrived in Mexico. “Luckily, throughout my career, I have been fighting more against my rivals than against my body.”
It’s been a while that I enjoy sports and in general my body responds when I am happy. At 31-years-old I feel competitive, something I was not feeling a few years ago.
Asked about the Davis Cup.
“I cannot plan months ahead. First I have to see how I am physically and mentally. When the time comes, I will make the decision [to play or not] with my team and the captain [of the Spanish team]. At the moment, I am happy to be in Alcapulco, thereafter comes Indian Wells, then Miami and then we will see.”
[ElMundo, Feb. 25, 2017]
ROCK ON RAFA…EL UNICO
all the very best for your match this afternoon vamos rafa.
Good luck and Vamos Rafa <3
Yes, I wrote to Rafa – Buena Suerte 😀🍍🌴🌞 under the sun in Acapulco. There will be snow this week in Majorca and Paris ❄⛄a cold snap has arrived from Siberia, temps. below zero. Shame Verdasco did not win in Rio😢 8 hispanics in the 1st round in Sao Paolo today.😉 Fiona in Pari
Having reached both singles and doubles finals, Verdasco did win in Rio…in doubles. He lost [6-2, 6-3] miserably to Diego Schwartzman in singles.
I wonder if Verdasco is trying to break a record as he has also entered singles and doubles at the MexO. He faces Diego again in singles. If Diego doesn’t get him Rafa will.
RAFA ROCKS
Hispanics? Is that French for Spaniards?
Good luck🍀Enjoy yourself-stay healthy and win💪👏🏆👊❣️
Rafa good luck in Mexico we love you your fans for ever be HEALTY vamossssssssssss champ you can do it 🎾🎾🎾🎾👍👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️❤️😘😘😘🏆