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
That’s the Rafa ! Keep it going
The shit has been righted. And all is well in the world. Right?
Not quite. I think Fognini is most dangerous in this third set, and with the crowd behind him, he will be going for his shots.
Stay focused is all Rafa has to do, and with the proper intensity, our champ will be victorious. Finish him!!
HAHAHA sorry everyone I meant SHIP!!
0-40 on Foggy’s serve
He saved the first two by outplaying Rafa, only to shanked the next point and pretty much broke himself. Such a great shotmaker even though not the nicest and hard working player on tour.
Rafa to serve for the 2nd set now at 5-1.
Gotta admit I’m often not too comfortable watching Rafa serving out a set/match these days. But I also believe Rafa can’t possibly mess it up this time.
YES! In a flash Rafa holds to love and won the set.
A double break and rafa has the 2nd set. But fabio went off the boil a bit. Lets hope he doesnt get his mojo back in the 3rd. Cmon Rafa.
Phew!!!
BEAUTIFUL EFFECTIVE SERVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) GREAT PLAYING SWEETHEART !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & ENJOY YOUR SOLID BEAUTIFUL TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Hang tough Rafa King of Clay! Why don’t you break him again and give us some room to breathe, hmm?
Terrible 1st set from Rafa, squandering the 4-1 lead and could have made it 5-1 to lose it 4-6.
Dismal 1st serve numbers:
54% 1st serve in
58% 1st serve won
50% 2nd serve won
Couldn’t put his 1 serve in on big points. Too many ROS shanked long. BH lacked both depth and angles. Too many UEs on that side. Also late to the FH too often. Simply mistimed the ball too much like in the Thiem match.
Most of all, he still couldn’t finish the point early / earn some cheap points AND stubbornly tried to press Fognini’s BH time after time only for him to easily read it and either go for the DTL or wrongfoot him. Frustrating to watch really.
The only thing he truly did well was his net game. The rest – too nervy and passive.
That said, Foggy’s level has been dropped a bit in the 2nd set while Rafa started fixing the very 1st thing first – his 1st % and consquently already up a break now.
Come one Rafa. Novak will be likely waiting tomorrow.
Hi Rainier. Hope all well with you. All ok here but pretty nervous for this 3rd set. Cmon Rafa.
WI……………………………WI…………………………….WI…………………………..: ) A C E ! !!!! : )
VERY HAPPY FOR YOU ……LEADING 3 : 0 2nd set !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WE LOVE YOU DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) : ) : ) VAMOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXO
Hope this break holds
Come on Rafa. Time to cut out the unforced errors.
Rafa is missing sitters. What’s wrong champ ? Keep calm and conquer.
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) : ) IT IS OK KEEP GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU ARE THE STRONGER BETTER PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) LETS GO RAFA LETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXO
Oh no. Fabio broke back and broke again. He’s on fire. But i dont know if he can keep this up and hoping he will lose focus soon. Still think rafa will win.
This is a nail biting match for me. Fognini is very dangerous and has Rafa rattled! From 4-1 down Fognini is 5-4 up and serving for the first set. Rafa needs to stay calm and ride the storm the best he can.
Rafa is seriously rattled. I think the crowd support for Fabio also plays in Rafa’s head a bit. Come on champ, display your dominance!
Is Rafa slow on court today??? 🤔
Fantastic match so far with both players making some amazing shots. But Rafa breaks which is fabulous.
Rafa did well to come back from 0-40 but couldn’t get over the finish line. Hopefully he breaks back and stamps his authority on this match. Some great shots by both, but uncharacteristic errors from Rafa. 4-4
OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA & VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) OUR NET GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) THAT WAS CLASSY POINT & WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) HAVE FUN SWEETHEART IT IS A GREAT MATCH FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ENJOY EVERYTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) CI………….CI……….CI………….LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ; ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Rafa all the VERY best today,
Love and prayers,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
Rafa good luck champ Vamossssssssssssssss all the way to the finals 🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍❤️🏆🏸 I’m watching tomorrow. Love your fans for ever.
Good luck Rafa!!
Buena ssigue uerte mi shampion sigue jugando agresivo VAMOS RAFA
Could be a tough one for Fabios home-crowd. Good luck and Vamos Rafa <3
Best of luck Rafa champ 🍀😘
VAMOS! 🎾💪🏼😍☀️
Rafa can do it in two. Fognini said Rafa is the best on clay. Show him, Rafa.
RAFAMAZING RULES