Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem will be squaring off for the ninth time in their careers when they clash in the Madrid Open quarterfinals on Friday. The Austrian battled back from a set and a break down to beat Croatian Borna Coric 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.
Date: May 11, 2018
Match time: Rafa is third match on Manolo Santana Court. Not before 5 PM local time / 11 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 4 PM BST – United Kingdom / 5 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 1 AM AEST – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on playing Thiem:
Very tough match. Especially here on this surface and even more in altitude. His bounces and topspin are very high and difficult to control.
I need to be ready for tomorrow. It will be a very tough match to play but it’s a good opportunity to play against one of the best players of the world.
Rafa and Thiem met in last year’s Madrid final, which Rafa won, and tour champ leads their Head2Head series 6-2.
| Year | Event | Surface | RND | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Monaco |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2017 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2017 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Dominic Thiem | |
| 2017 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2017 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2016 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Monaco |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2016 | Buenos Aires Argentina |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Dominic Thiem | |
| 2014 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | R64 | Rafael Nadal |
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP World Tour
Carlos has said that Rafa has seemed nervous right from the beginning of the match.
Here’s hoping he gets over this before it’s too late.
We must remember Rafa is only human and sometimes we expect him to be invincible at all times.
Keeping my fingers crossed nevertheless.!!
Rafas’s giving me heart palpitations and not for the right reasons , hope he can still pull this set back
That love service game may help him Maria and give him that mental confidence that he needs
I’m keeping my fingers crossed Susie but it’s not looking good , but like Beverly said Rafa is only human , and today not his day
Come on, Rafa – engage overdrive, and put him away!
Rafa’s being totally dominated by Thiem. Hope that ends here.
Hmm… I’m not enjoying this….
Oh i hope rafa remembers who he is and what he has achieved and that gets him through this match. A set and a break down – he’s done it before and it would be great to see him do it now.
Rafa is having an off day. As simple as that.
Says
Rafa’s body language days it all. He can’t lose confidence so easily!!! Cmon Rafa!!!!
Attack!!
VAMOS
Just got in from work and rafa lost 1st set. Grrrr dominic again!! Hopefully rafa will remember the thrashing he gave him last time they met and quickly!
Crikey! Come on king of clay don’t let your Madrid journey end today , we want to see you on that court on Sunday and still number one.
..the reset button..
Lorna, Rafa looks like he might need some rest. So maybe lets leave it at REST button:):) Thiem playing brilliantly though, it’s been catch up for Rafa all match.
Oh well. All good runs must come to an end. Too many unforced errors. It’s back to the drawing board for Rafa. Come on champ. Press the rest button, get it together and drive through your shots!
WOW! Rafa has been due a bad match thus far… and this seems to be it. Somehow he seems unsure of himself. The point where he gets broken for the second time says it all.
Anyway, still a ways to go! Wake up and get it done Rafa!
A few howlers! Rafa is nervous about what Thiem can do. Come on champ, step it up!
Rafa what’s going on , your giving this set away
Cmon Rafa! Keep cool and steady!
Really hope you win!!!
Vamos
Phew Rafa! Up your game now and you can still take the 1st set
Come on Rafa, don’t let Thiem get the better of you
Good luck Rafa, just do what you have been doing and by Sunday evening you will be biting into another trophy.😂
OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA & VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ; ) : ) : ) : ) ; ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY & A GREAT TIME FOR BEAUTIFUL TENNIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ; ) : ) ; ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) ; ) VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS DEAR RAFA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) HAVE LOTS OF FUN & ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) : ) : ) IT WILL BE A GREAT MATCH FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) CI…….CI……..CI…….. HAVE A GREAT TIME PLAYING YOUR MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SENDING LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXO KEEP SMILING SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) ; ) : )
Good luck and Vamos Rafa <3
“Both of the seventh-ranked Austrian’s wins over Nadal can be easily explained; the 16-time major champion was woefully out of form in the early stages of an injury-plagued 2016 campaign and he was out of gas last spring after winning Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, and Madrid in succession. Unfortunately for Thiem, who saw first-hand in Monte-Carlo, Nadal is having no such kind of issues this time around.” [Ricky of The Grandstand]
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa all the best for game today against Dominic,
Love and prayers,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
Go Rafa!!! 52 sets streak on the way 💪💪💪