On Wednesday, top seed and ten-time champion in Monaco, Rafael Nadal will play his first match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters against Slovenian Aljaz Bedene (ranked No. 58). It will be only Rafa’s 8th tour-level match of the year (6-1) and second tournament of 2018.
Rafa and Aljaz have played once, which was in the 2016 Monte Carlo Masters, a match our champ won in straight sets. The match took 18 games to be decided (6-3, 6-3).
Date: April 18, 2018
Match time: Rafa is third match on Court Rainer III. Around 2:30 PM local time / 8:30 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 1:30 PM BST – United Kingdom / 2:30 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 10:30 PM AEST – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa, who is participating in his second tournament of the year, is 63-4 at Monte-Carlo Masters. His only four losses in Monaco came in the third round in 2003, to Guillermo Coria; the final in 2013, to Djokovic; the quarterfinals in 2014, to David Ferrer; and the semifinals in 2015, to Djokovic.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP World Tour
Thanks Margo! Yes I do try to dismiss any negative thoughts but …. they come creeping up again. Of course he’s a joy to watch and I hope he stays well and injury free and goes on to win win win!!!!
Go Rafa go!!!!!!!
Rafa fan 1, LOL Yes, it’s hard to keep those nagging thoughts at bay. It’s not easy, especially when he is competing, to keep a level head. I know all too well. And I am still working on it.
Here’s to a great return to competition for Rafa.
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa needs to stay positive and take it one match at a time. If he can do that, he will go all the way to the finals and win this. He needs to stay healthy and injury free. Good luck in all of your clay tournaments and defending your no 1 spot. Rafael deserves to be at the top.
He is the one and only true GOAT. Good luck. We will all be rooting for you.
VAMOS RAFA
Yes, Rafa fans I’m trying to be very positive for our Rafa but I’m sorry to say I’m also nervous – maybe because as always I absolutely want him to win …. . There’s Thiem too but I can’t help feeling wary where Djokovic is concerned. He is playing well and can play very freely without really having anything to lose. Rafa may have more concern playing him and if that happens he has to win in order to not only boost his confidence but not to lose any of it.
Whatever …… I’m backing Rafa all the way!!!
VAMOS!!!!!!
Rafa fan 1, Rafa just won his match vs Bedene. Good result but I thought he would win quicker. Happy he won.
What works for me is not thinking about the past. Of course I thought about what is ahead for Rafa when the draw came out but then I put it out of my mind and am taking each match as it comes. I also considered what he may mentally experience if he loses. But those thoughts lasted only for a short second.
Try thinking of each match as it arises. By your comments, I know you always support Rafa so don’t drive yourself crazy about the unknown. Enjoy his matches and titles. He is simply a joy on court.
RAFA ROCKS
VAMONOS Rafa, hoping for a fast win for you today.
RAFA ROCKS
Maria (SNAKEIsland). Have you been watching any tennis lately? If you have and you saw the Davis Cup, you will know how instrumental Rafa was in getting Spain into the semi final. We as fans and Rafa don’t need you coming on to this website, after being absent for so long, to be the Prophet of Doom. Kindly keep your silly predictions to yourself!
Vamos mi campeon con toda la energia yo se que triunfaras.
Rafa may not win the Monte Carlo affair
Why? The Djoker in the pack is back and real bad!!!!
But as always, we’d see……….hmmn
I am very happy and optimistic about Rafa’s return to competition. Why do you always have to come here and try to put a damper on the good mood and happy hopes of his fans for the tournament? If you spent more time cheering for Rafa you may feel better.
Take your crystal ball and swallow it.
RAFA, CAMPEON DE CAMPEONES
Here, here Margo.
Here, here Lorna.
I usually ignore her nonsense but this tournament comes after almost three months of Rafa not having competed. Why not come to cheer Rafa on.
Love your salutation. I feel better already🤗
RAFA ROCKS MONTE CARLO
Djoker who??
Rafa playing at his DC level is good enough to beat anyone, who cares who’s this Djoker!
If Rafa plays even better than that, he will be scarily good, like he was during 2010 clay season!!
Finally! OOh so excited to watch Rafa again!
I watched a bit of the Djokovic match yesterday, and boy was he impressive! I hope he’s gotten over his injury issues. If Rafa gets to play him, it will be a true test of where Rafa’s game is at currently. But first things first…
Get it done Rafa!!
Nah, Lajovic made him looked better than he really was! That Lajovic, he’s hopeless, it’s like he won’t date to beat or offend Djoko; Lajovic playing to lose, not to win and I bet he really wanted to get out of that court ASAP.
We’ll see the true challenge for Djoko in Coric, who plays a similar game to Djoko.
Mac, I didn’t watch Nole’s match but I am keeping an eye on him and all of Rafa’s opponents.
Nole… “…after two years I am now playing pain free.” He has reunited with Vajda, his long-time [almost 10 years] coach and admitted he returned to competition at the Australian Open too soon after surgery. “I should never have played IW and Miami.”
By having to play on Monday [no bye], he was able to ease into MC by playing a weaker opponent. Let’s see how Nole does in his following matches. He may have a psychological edge as he is playing in the Principality of Monaco where he lives. I am betting on Rafa to be hungrier for his 11th.
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa all the best for tomorrow’s game.
Love and prayers,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
Thank you for pointing out my error. Rafa beat Albert Costa in the 2nd round of the 2003 MC tournament.
Alberto Costa was a Brazilian Olympic triathlete.
RAFA ROCKS MONTE-CARLOS
Yes, I love the videoclip of Rafa vs Costa in April 2003, 🎾16 years and 10 months, 😀 today our site has posted his 1 st round. Just before, in March he won a Futures🎾 in Barletta Italy, they posted it here 2 days ago. Then there is a videoclip of Trans World ‘- in April 2003 we travelled to the Spanish island of Majorca to meet Rafael Nadal 🎾just turned pro in 2001, see him playing on Playstation 💻 with his friends, in family, then Practice 🎾, still a Spanish teenager.😀It must have been just before Costa match or just after. Then he measured 1 m 82 cms, he must have grown 3 cms after. Meeting Ali Bedene he knew him from the Futures teenage matches. 😉 Good luck as always. Fiona in Paris
Rafa 🍲🍴at table in family with a glass of coke. ☺
Fiona, I did come across his Barletta win in several articles…it was really big news at the time.
It was quick, but Rafa paid his dues in qualies and challengers. Bedene is still doing it.
I don’t know if it is true but, according to some old articles, when Coria first played Rafa at MC in 2003 he had no idea who Rafa was. The teen he didn’t know in 2003 went on to beat him in 2005 in three finals; MC, Rome Masters and Beijing. Rafa beat him yet again at MC in the QF in 2006.
Before Rafa won his first Masters, his name was on everyone’s lips. Rafa continues to amaze me.
RAFA ROCKS
Can’t wait to see you back on the court. Vamos Rafa <3
In the 2003 Monte-Carlo tournament, 16-year-old Rafa won 4 matches just to reach the 3rd round; 2 in the qualies, 1st round vs Kucera, and 2nd round vs Carlos Costa, who at the time was the FO champion. A MONUMENTAL UPSET.
By the 3rd round vs Coria, he had to be exhausted and mentally fatigued by his astonishing defeat of Costa and his previous matches.
Rafa went on to topple Coria in 2005 [he did not play in 2004], win his first Masters and his first of ten Monte-Carlo titles.
EL UNICO IS ON A MISSION
Alberto Costa, as he was called then, not Carlos.
Michele, my response landed above.
RAFA ROCKS
Good luck in your up coming match!!!! VAMOS RAFA!!!!! Simply the best….good luck in the rest of the season and hope you stay healthy……………….VAMOS
FROM ALABAMA USA.
KAREN OWEN WHEELER
You are the greatest player Rafa 👑 Gold Coast Australia 🇦🇺
Sent from my iPhone
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Go get Rafa your opponent good luck