On Friday, Rafael Nadal will continue his 2018 Internazionali BNL d’Italia campaign.
The King of Clay will play his third match in Rome against Fabio Fognini, who recovered from a 2-4 deficit in the first set – by winning five straight games – en route to a 6-4, 6-4 third-round victory over Peter Gojowczyk.
Date: May 18, 2018
Match time: Noon local time / 6 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 11 AM BST – United Kingdom / Noon CEST – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 8 PM AEST – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on playing Fognini:
It’ll be a match against a great player, with a lot of talent.
I know I have to play well, to keep having chances and keep going in the tournament. I hope to be ready to make that happen, to play at the right level and to be competitive.
They have played 13 times and Rafa has won 10 of those meetings. Fognini earned three victories in 2015 (twice on clay in Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona prior to a five-set upset at the U.S. Open), but Rafa won five times in a row (including at three Masters 1000 tournaments last year). Rafa is also 5-2 against Fognini on clay court.
| Year | Event | Surface | RND | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai China |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2017 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R32 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2017 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2016 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | QF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2015 | Beijing China |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2015 | US Open NY, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R32 | Fabio Fognini | |
| 2015 | Hamburg Germany |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2015 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Fabio Fognini | |
| 2015 | Rio de Janeiro Brazil |
Outdoor Clay | SF | Fabio Fognini | |
| 2014 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2013 | Beijing China |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2013 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | R32 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2013 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | R32 | Rafael Nadal |
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP World Tour
As expected, Cîlíc over Carreño-Busta and into the semi-finals; 6-3, 6-3.
RAFAMAZING RULED TODAY
Welcome back Rainier. Good to see you here.
Read your great points. I did expect Rafa to win in two but I’ll gladly take a win in three🤗
Will you be offering anything on Rafa’s Thiem loss? Always interested in your take on Rafa’s play.
RAFA ROCKS
Not a match up that Rafa relishes but he soaked up the pressure and weathered the storm that was coming from Fognini’s racquet. He’ll need to bring his A game tomorrow. Good luck champ!
Congrats Rafa and the best of luck tommorow 🎾💪🏼❤️🍀😘
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOUR ENDURANCE IS BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WE LOVE YOU & VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART FOR ALL THE BRILLIANT TENNIS YOU GRACE US WITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WHAT A DELIGHT TO WATCH YOUR MAGICAL BEAUTIFUL BRILLIANT TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ): ) : ) SLIDING & GLIDING & REACHING & SERVING & RETURNING & THAT PRECIOUS FOCUS & SPEED & MAGICAL FOOT WORK……..& BY THE WAY……LOVED YOUR SIDE TO SIDE RETURNS TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS & GO RAFA GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) : ) : ) HAVE A BEAUTIFUL TIME CELEBRATING WITH YOUR LOVED ONES & ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) HAVE A LOVELY EVENING & A BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) IT WILL BE SUCH LOVELY TIMES TONIGHT FOR YOU I AM SURE WE ARE VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU ARE SO SPECIAL RAFA NADAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU TAKE TENNIS TO SUCH EXTRAORDINARY PASSIONATE LEVEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOUR ENTIRE BEING IS IN EACH POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) MUCHAS GRACIAS SENIOR CHAMP & SENDING LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KEEP SMILING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Rafa does it and has got further in Rome than last year which means a few more points. Hopefully he will crank it up as i think its either vs novak or nishikori tomorrow
Great outcome Rafa, you might need to find a bit extra if you meet Novak or Zverev. Good luck in your next match
Congrats Rafa and the fellow rafans 😊
Both players looking to end the match asap. :p
3MPs for Rafa but he just wasted the 1st one again – Rafa tends to waste at least 1MP these days. 🙁
THAT IS WHY I CONSIDER RAFA WON THE AO……THAT MB AT THE END WAS NOTHING SHORT OF DESPICABLE, POOR BEHAVIOR AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT TENNIS FANS CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HEROES AND ZEROS …………….SCORE THANKFULLY IS NOT EVERYTHING…………………..CHARACTER & SPORTSMANSHIP CARRY YOUR NAME & RAFA NADAL IS IT WHEN IT COMES TO COURT INTEGRITY & RESPECT AND LOVE FOR THE SPORT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) RAFA WAS THE TRUE WINNER OF THAT AO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) TAKE A LOOK AR REPLAY & BE MINDFUL OF LOOSER ATTITUDE MB……
Hi Rainier, your pearls of wisdom have been sorely missed by Rafa fans, great to see you back on here.
Yay – the cushion of a double break and Rafa will be serving for the match.
Reckless play from Foggy make things normal 😌 and Rafa up another break now.
Such a shame for Foggy but at the same time Rafa should have made things less complicated for himself.
5-3 Rafa serving for the match nowZ
Sorry, “to make things normal”.
Rafa playing much better now. Things are clicking. Shots are much more decisive. Foggy hasn’t gone away yet, still shooting bombs and tasty winners. Talent aside, such power in that small frame!
Deuce on Foggy’s serve
4-2 Rafa leads
Come one Rafa, breaks again.
Another BH winner from Foggy off Rafa’s weak return but he shanked the next 2 points and Rafa now gets a BP.
This MB was rather predictable…..the old princess r technique ….when loosing and out of breath with zero endurance depend on medical break ……..POOR SPORTSMANSHIP!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) and most often USELESSLY UNHELPFUL…..
GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOUR GRACIOUS COURT MANNERS ARE EXTRAORDINARY AND TENNIS FANS APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WE LOVE YOU SWEETHEART !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Good to see Rafa going for a BHDTL after Foggy almost wrong footed him (again :(), only for the Fog to flick a better BHDTL for a great winner.
He’s just called for a trainer to fix his bandage on the left knee. Hopefully not a tactic before Rafa’s serve.
Tasty FHDTL ROS winner from Rafa. 💪🏻
15all
3-1 Rafa leads
Foggy losing the patience.
YEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ACE PLUS ACE PLUS ACE EQUALS CI………………………CI…………………………..CI……………………………: ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : )
Rafa breaks to love to go up 2-0 in the decider with some help from Foggy. Rafa looking all business now, going for all the angles! Way to go, Rafa!
So in the 2nd set Rafa got back to the basics – improving his 1st serve % to 67% (at some point it was 75%) and consequently all the serve numbers were improved.
He also cut down the UE’s, especially on the BH side (6W/5UE compared to 6W/10UE in the 1st set. Less shanked ROS’s. Proactively exploited Foggy’s lazy movement, though admittedly his defence and return are excellent.
Now I would like to see Rafa flatten out his shot more since Foggy deals with those high/moon balls very well and win the 3rd set in an even more convincing fashion. Definitely should capital when the Fog has dampened down like this.
Sorry, capitalise. 🙂
Good second set Rafa, now put that little pirate back on his ship and sink him pretty sharpest. Harry and Meghan who , no the big event this weekend will be Rafa claiming his 8th title in Rome😀
Hi Maria. 🙂
Good to see you here. 🙂
Maria, you’re sooooo funny! 😀😀😀
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU ARE TAKING THE AIR OUT OF HIS RETURNS WITH YOUR FEISTY POWERFUL MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WE LOVE WATCHING YOU SWEETHEART & ENJOY EACH POINT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOUR COURT COMMAND IS BRILLIANT & YOUR SPEED & NET & BRIGHTEST EVER VOLLEYS ARE STRIKINGLY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ALL ANGLES…….SOLID! BRIGHT! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) LOVE YOUR DECISIVENESS & EAGER AGGRESSIVE BH & FH RETURNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXO