World No. 1 Rafael Nadal continues his Wimbledon campaign on Thursday when he takes on Mikhail Kukushkin in the second round. The 77th-ranked Kazakh beat Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, improving to 4-1 in main-draw matches on grass in 2018.
Date: July 5, 2018
Match time: 1 PM local time / 8 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 1 PM BST – United Kingdom / 2 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 10 PM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
The pair have met three times so far in their careers and Rafa has claimed all three wins. Their most recent meeting was at Wimbledon in the third round four years ago, when our champ prevailed 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.
| Year | Event | Surface | RND | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Wimbledon Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | R32 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2012 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Monaco |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2010 | Bangkok Thailand |
Indoor Hard | QF | Rafael Nadal |
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP World Tour
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOLID VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU PLAYED BEAUTIFULLY & YOU ARE BRILLIANT GRASS PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS DEAR RAFA THE ONE AND ONLY NUMBER ONE WORLD PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
WE LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR GAME ESPECIALLY YOUR SOLID EFFECTIVE SERVE, FH AND BH RETURNS TO ALL CORNERS, YOUR SPEED AND YOUR GENIUS MIXING OF YOUR SERVE AND RETURNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : 0 VAMOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : 0 VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) HAVE A GREAT TIME TONIGHT & LOTS OF FUN CEREBRATING WITH YOUR BELOVED TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) THE MOST LOYAL TEAM OF ALL TIME WITH THE MOST LOYAL PLAYER OF ALL TENNIS HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) CI…….CI…….CI….! : ) I LOVED YOUR PRESS INTERVIEW YESTERDAY AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE TOO ARE WATCHING THE WORLD CUP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) FOOTBALL IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SPORT…….AND WE WERE HAPPY TO HEAR YOU ARE TAKING TIME TO ENJOY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) NYMAR IS THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SUCH A GIANT BRILLIANT PLAYER….HIS ENTHUSIASM AND BALL HANDLING IAND TEAM LEADING DURING PLAY S EXTRAORDINARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOUR MATCH TODAY HAD EVERYTHING AND WAS VERY EXCITING TO VIEW HOW YOU WERE RESISTANT AND FIGHTING AND SO INCREDIBLY SKILLFUL ON GRASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) HAVE A LOVELY EVENING AND A BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
SENDING LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
BEAUTIFUL SPUNKY RETURN CLOSING OF SERVE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) BEAUTIFULLY COMING BACK FROM 40 ; 0 …….. WI………WI……..WI…….& CI………CI……..CI……VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SOLID !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Cilic is out
Müller is out
Wawrinka out
LONG POINTS GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
VAMOS FOR YOUR FEISTY TWO , 2 SETS LEAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GLIDING AND SLIFDING AND FIGHTING AND RETURNING AND NETTING AND DOING IT ALL WITH PASSION AND CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY EVERYTHING SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
THE GOOD NEWS SWEETHEART, YOU MANAGE TO OVERCOME ALL , INCLUDING POOR UMPIRING, AND BEAUTIFULLY THRIVE WITH ALL CHALLENGES IN SUCH AN HEROIC, GLADIATOR MANNER……THE RAFA NADAL PRECIOUS BRILLIANCE, EMERGING STRONG AND SOLID …… THE POWERFUL FIGHTER YOU ARE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) CI……….CI……….CI……..WE LOVE YOU, IN A WAY, CHALLENGES ONLY BRINGS YOU UPWARDS DEAR RAFA , WITH YOUR CLASSY SPORTSMANSHIP AND FORTITUDE IN SUCH ADMIRABLE WAY…. AVID, GLOBAL TENNIS FANS ARE ADMIRING AND ADORING YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE THE TRUE TENNIS HERO, THE TRUE GOAT, BRINGING SO MUCH PLEASURE AND FUN TO LIVE TENNIS MATCHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KEEP SMILING SWEETHEART & WE ALL LOVE AND RESPECT YOU BEYOND WORDS …….. KEEP GOING…..KEEP YOUR PRECIOUS FOCUS AND PLAYING YOUR BEAUTIFUL TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE PLAYING SOLID WITH SUCH MAGNIFICENT GRASS GENIUS…….. ……..BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOX
DOWN SMACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GREAT POINT SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) BEAUTIFUL FINISH!!!! : ) THE RAFA NADAL BRIGHT SPECIALTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LETS GO RAFA LETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
ACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
LAST POINT, NOTICE HOW GENTLY UMPIRE ANNOUNCES PLAYER SCORING WHEN THE OTHER PLAYER SERVE…..
CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU STARTED GOING TO THE NET TO CHECK, I TRUST YOUR VISION AND FEEL AND THAT MEANS IT WAS POSSIBLY AN IN SERVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) THIS UMPIRE SITS THERE , SOUNDING APATHETIC, ANNOUNCES LOUDLY , ABRUPTLY THE THE SCORES , WHICH IS TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE , PERHAPS A CONNIVING ATTEMPT TO DISTURB FLOW OF FOCUS, AND FOR THE MOST PART, DOES NOT FULLY ENGAGE, OR OVER TURN POOR CALLS……VERY FLAT UNPROFESSIONAL WAY OF COVERING MATCHES. WITH NOVAK ON THE OTHER HAND, THIS UMPIRE NEVER EVER DOES ANY OF THIS CONNIVING, POOR TACTICS…..OPPOSITE, HE BEHAVES EXTREMELY THE OTHER WAY, ALWAYS MAKING CALLS BENEFITING NOVAK…. FURTHERMORE, I NOTICED HE VERY FREQUENTLY COVERS NOVAK’S MATCHES…….I SUPPOSE IT IS A PART OF THE BS BEHIND SCENE THAT FANS OFTEN POINT OUT……BS THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH COMPETITION OR PLAYER’S SKILLS. SO IT IS CLEARLY POOR BIAS ATTITUDE HE HAS AND AUGHT NOT BE ALLOWED TO COVER GS . TWO DAYS AGO RAFA HAD AN AMAZING UMPIRE…..MADE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF VIEWERS ENJOYMENT OF THE MATCH. IT IS RATHER PUZZLING THE VARIATION LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AMONGST UMPIRES…….. THIS IS GS AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL POOR UMPIRING IS GOING ON. I HAVE ZERO RESPECT FOR THIS POOR UMPIRE AND HOPE PLAYERS BRING THAT UP . SO DEAR RAFA IN SHORT SIMPLY PUT: PLEASE CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU SWEETHEART AND CONGRATULATIONS ON TAKING THE 1ST SET SO BEAUTIFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KEEP GOING SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Quite a laboured performance from Rafa so early on in the match. He was 3-1 up with a break and moments later 3-3! Kukushkin is no push over, but Rafa needs to be slicker in his service games.
OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA & VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR TENNIS AND A BEAUTIFUL TIME FOR YOUR SOLID LEADING 3: NADA 1ST SET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOVE YOU SENIOR CHAMP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU LOOK SO GORGEOUS ON GRASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOVE HEARING YOUR VOCAL BREATH WITH EACH POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ): ) : ) THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL OPENING SERVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY SWEETHEART !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SENDING LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KEEP SMILING! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Best of luck vamosssssssssssssss champ the king of Clay love your fan 🎾🎾🎾❤️❤️❤️🏆
Keep up the good work today Rafa. All the best for your match!
Good luck and Vamos Rafa <3
Rafa all the best for your next game,
Love and prayers,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
Rafa your looking great out there keep it up and take home another trophy my friend .. god bless always .. michele ..
we will be watching you tomorrow and we wish you the best of luck to win against Kukushkin…Vamos 💪💪💪🍀🍀🍀
Vamos Rafa..we your fans will be clelebrating from your R2 match tomorrow. Good Luck Champ 🎾🎾💚☘🇮🇪
Best of luck against kukushkin! Vamos