World No. 1 and ten-time champion Rafael Nadal opens his Barcelona Open campaign on Wednesday when he takes on fellow Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena (No. 77) in the second round.
Date: April 25, 2018
Match time: Rafa is third match on Pista Rafa Nadal. 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.
Our champ and Carballes Baena have never met before. Ecuador Open champion Carballes Baena has just 20 match wins to his name at Tour-level. Seven have come this year, against five losses.
The 25-year-old needed one hour and 35 minutes to beat Andreas Haider-Maurer (6-2, 6-4), breaking the Austrian five times en route to victory.
Rafa is 53-3 in Barcelona and has won eight of his 10 titles without dropping a set, including 2016-17. He needs to win his 11th title in Barcelona to remain No. 1 in the ATP Rankings, or else Swiss Roger Federer will take over.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP World Tour
Rafa’s road to victory looks easier but it’s no guarantee. Who would have thought his Carballés match would be so taxing. As long as Rafa keeps his level up he shouldn’t have a problem. Two-set wins are great so as to conserve energy for the final.
RAFAMAZING ROCKS
VAMOS VAMOS VAMOS & OLA DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ; ) CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL WELL EARNED VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) 😉 : ) WE LOVED THAT YOU HAD ANOTHER EXCITING MATCH WITH LOTS OF YOUR FANTASTIC MAGICAL TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU WERE GLIDING & SLIDING & WINNING & STRIDING & DOING ALL THAT WITH SUCH BEAUTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) SO MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH BEAUTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU STOOD YOUR AGGRESSIVE TALENTED GROUNDS………YOU PLAYED YOUR FEISTY AGGRESSIVE EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) BRILLIANT SERVE……BRILLIANT RETURNS……..AMAZING BEAUTIFUL STRONG FH……..CLASSY CLASSY CLASSY TWO HANDS BH……..MAGICAL FANTASTIC REACH…………………………….BRILLIANT NET……..ENERGIZED PRECIOUS SPEED……..GORGEOUS LOOKING & BEAUTIFUL COURT PRESENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) IN SHORT, THIS WAS A SOLID, BEAUTIFUL & MAGICAL RAFA NADAL SPECIALTY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ENJOY YOUR FANTASTIC TENNIS & HAVE FUN CELEBRATING WITH YOUR BELOVED, LOYAL TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) HAVE A LOVELY EVENING & A BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) SENDING LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE SUCH A TREASURE & MUCHAS GRACIAS FOR BRINGING SO MUCH EXCITEMENT & PASSION TO EACH MATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) KEEP SMILING SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) HAVE A GREAT TIME & ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXO
Maronn’! The Djoker is out of the tournament, lost to Klizan. I am OK with Novak not being a threat to Nadal anymore on the red dirt, but I would like him to lose at least three matches to Nadal for the h2h to be in good state again. Unfortunately, Novak will be no threat to RF on the grass either. Ideally, Rafa wins RG and Roger is knocked out of Wimbledon. The question is, who is gonna make that happen?
I would hope Rafa would win his 3rd Wimbledon title. How marvellous would that be?
Nishikori retired during his match today and novak lost. Rafas path has been smoothed somewhat in Barcelona this year after that tricky draw. Hopefully number 11 is on the horizon!!
It was no tricky draw to begin with, given the state of the Djoker. I am actually disappointed that there is no encounter between the two. It would have given Rafa even more momentum going forward.
OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA & VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) Have a beautiful time playing and lots of fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) It will be a great match for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) ENJOY EVERYTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) I LOVED YOUR BARCELONA INTERVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) HAVE FUN SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & ENJOY YOUR BEAUTIFUL TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA & VAMOS DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ; ) ; ) : ) It is a great time of the year and a beautiful time for playing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) Very happy for you sweetheart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) Enjoy everything & have lots of fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) It will be a great match for you & point by point is your genius attitude and bright way with each tour and each match !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) KUDOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) 😉 : ) : ) : ) : ) We love you and keep smiling with you and your cute dimples !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ci……ci…….ci……. Lots of love & happiness & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXO
Yes wouldn’t that be great being in the pool with Rafa.
Rafa all the best for you Barcelona match today,
Love and prayers,
AlaineXX
I would like to be in the pool with Rafa!!
All the best for the first match in Barcelona. Vamos Rafa <3
Suerte Rafa para este torneo…..