World No. 1 Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will be facing each other for the 52nd time in their careers when they meet in the semifinals of Wimbledon on Friday.
Date: July 13, 2018
Match time: Rafa is second match on Center Court. Around 3 PM local time / 10 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 3 PM BST – United Kingdom / 4 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / midnight AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
The pair have faced each other 51 times with Djokovic edging the overall head to head 26-25. They last met at Wimbledon in the 2011 final, when Djokovic won in four sets, while Rafa triumphed in their last meeting at the Rome Masters in May.
Rafa on playing Nole:
There is no one other match in the history of tennis that has been played more than our match. That’s a big thing. We always played in important stages, important places.
It is always a big challenge facing Novak. He is one of the more complex players that I ever saw in our sport. It is always a big test. You know that you can’t win against him if you don’t play very well.
Nole:
I’m really not thinking about being an underdog or being a favourite.
I just try to build the momentum. Obviously I’ve been very pleased with the way I’ve played so far on the grass court season.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Come on Kevin , hurry and get it finished, then Isner can cadge a lift home with trump Lol
That’s so funny 😊😊😊
Lol – very true. All my apprehension about rafas match has been drained out of me – which is a good thing i suppose
Ha ha this match has Trump written all over it! “A simply enormous, best ever, huge, record-breaking, believe me you can’t believe how many records we’ve broken, longest, really so long, they said we couldn’t go so long, but we did, we kept winning, so much winning, believe me you will get tired of how much we will win, match.”
LOL ROFLMAO Don’t forget “BIGLY” haha
This is turning into a veritable comedy hour
AGREE…..BESIDES, THIS IS SUCH A BORE OF A GRAND SLAM MATCH……GOODNESS SAKE……PLAYERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DO MUCH OTHER THAN SERVE……WHAT’S GONG ON TO THE SPORT????? WHY SUCH SERVICE PRACTICE DISPLAY TENNIS IS ENDURED? ABSOLUTELY RUBBISH !!!!!!!! WHAT’S WORST, ALL THIS EMPTY ONE POINT GS MATCH IS ALLOWED TO TAKE PLACE WHILST OTHER PLAYERS ARE WAITING TO GO ONTO COURT. IT IS VERY VERY LATE IN ENGLAND AND HOPEFULLY PLAYERS WILL PLAY A SET OR TWO AND THAT’S IT.
PLEASE REFRAIN FROM MENTIONING POLITICS AND LEAVE THE MENTION OF MAJOR AIR POLLUTION OUT OF THIS GREAT SPORT……
Now THAT was hilarious…..
While your comment was hilarious, I did some checking and according to The NYTimes, toxic air in London has been at illegal levels since 2010 and for a brief period I last year it was worse than Beijing’s, according to the London mayor’s office. [NYTimes, April 22, 2018]
Today, July 13, 2018 it’s at a good level.
On a positive note I’m home from work in time for Rafa’s match 🙂 On the downside it’s likely it won’t finish today. Sunset is about 9.15. Given that Isner v Anderson was likely to be a long one (Isner was part of the record longest match), I think the organisers should have started the matches earlier or put each on a different court.
That would have been sensible re different courts but it’s a semifinals match. More money for the coffers.
Think theyre getting the roof across Jas for next match so it can go on upto about 11pm our time – sorry UK time
I didn’t know Cente Court had floodlights, but I just Googled it and you’re right. Apparently the latest finish to date was 9.17 though. Maybe that will be another record broken. John Isner broke the record for the most aces hit in a tournament a few minutes ago.
Hate to give you this information guys, but here we go:
Isner–Mahut match at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships holds the record for the longest tennis match both in time and games played. 11 h 05 Wimbledon 2010, 1st Round: John Isner def. Nicolas Mahut, 6–4, 3–6, 6–7, 7–6, 70–68 (3 days).
Aahhh 😨
I saw that match and thought it was common knowledge among tennis enthusiasts. That’s why I gave Anderson-Isner a minimum of a 5-hour match.
I reeber it well!!!
I remember it well!!
They are both tired and cant break eachother
why didnt they start both matches at the same time. This is outragous. This will go on and on I agree nadal djokovic should play tomorrow
This is getting boring now😴, I’d rather Rafas’s match be postponed till tomorrow, which I know won’t happen, hopefully when they do eventually get on court we will see some exciting action, some racket breaking and at the end of the match one deflated ego ( from you know who) and a chest we have come to see and love Lol
Blimey! It goes on and on. We’re in tbis situation because we have two big servers on court (the exception rather than the rule). Both guys sre playing their hearts out and are desperate to win, but it can’ be good for the players on court, the players yet to come on, the crowd and viewers like me, who are getting bored.
Also Lorna, and I know I’m repeating myself ad infinitum, but we wouldn’t be in this position if Wimbledon had a tie breaker in the 5th. The earlier sets in this match that went to tie breakers got resolved fairly promptly. I don’t know the reason for not having one in the 5th – and I would like someone to educate me – but I can’t see it as a tradition worth keeping.
Opposing points of view welcome!
Only the better player [or luckier] and the stronger one will survive?
Some feel that the Masters are more grueling and I tended to agree because players must play on consecutive days in best of 3 but slams are best of 5 and can be even more grueling as we saw on Wednesday and again today. A lot more hours. Best of 5. No tiebreaker in 5th set. YIKES!!!!
I have not looked up the reasoning or history behind the 5-set, no tiebreaker rule.
Vamos Rafael <3 !!! We Believe in you 🙂
Do you think they can postpone the match for tomorrow ?
This is ridiculous. I am waiting since 7 pm for Rafole n its close to 11 now ! How can anyone enjoy this?
I don’t enjoy it. It’s so boring and frustrating and repetitive. It’s not even like we’re watching heroics; the Nadal-Delpo match was far more engrossing at roughly the same time span. It’s also unfair for the players of the second match, who will have less recovery time and different play conditions to those they trained for during the week.
They’ll put the roof on for rafas match so they can go onto about 11pm our UK time. This will also avoid failing light and any rain. Im just hoping Rafa can get it done tonight!!
[reposting this higher up the thread]
Wimbledon need to put a tie-break into the 5th set. I’m not sure what tradition not having one is based on, but it doesn’t seem worth it for the disruption it causes.
I am all for Rafa, but thinking more generally, today’s situation disadvantages any player who has to go on second.
I know that adaptability is part of the sport – most players acknowledge this – but it feels like today’s situation is avoidable.
Hahaha I just landed, got on the Wi-Fi in the airport and what do you know, Isner and Anderson are still going at it!
Yay! Now I can get to my hotel and settle in for Rafa’s clash!
Nice timing Mac. Enjoy – we all will when it finally gets on. Hope Rafa and Novak got some kip whilst waiting
OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA & VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) HAVE A BEAUTIFUL TIME & LOTS OF FUN PLAYING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WE ARE BACK HOME NOW, AND HAVE WATERED THE GARDEN, TOOK CARE OF THE ROSES AND EVERYTHING, AND WILL BE ENJOYING EACH POINT YOU PLAY SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) HAVE FUN ENJOYING YOUR SOLID TIME ON COURT AND YOUR FEISTY, BEAUTIFUL TENNIS POINT BY POINT AND WE WILL BE ENJOYING EACH AND EVERY PRECIOUS POINT WITH YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SENDING LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
WE LOVE DEAR RAFA & VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KEEP SMILING ! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
I expected Isner’s match to go on for at least 5 hours. Did all my shopping and laundry with time to spare to write about Roig’s column and the Rafa academy’s new tournament. YIPPEE
Wise move!
LOL Lorna, I was more nervous about missing the match than thinking about my shopping needs.
BUT, make no mistake about it, I certainly would have abandoned a full shopping cart to rush home to see Rafa had his match started sooner than I expected.
RAFA ROCKS LIKE NO OTHER
Good luck Rafa vamosssssssssssss you ca n do it .🎾🎾🎾🎾❤️❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍👍🏆
Looks like ee’re in it for the long haul!
Francis Roig has authored an ElEspanol column during this Wimbledon tournament; well-written with plenty of insight on Rafa. Great “stuff”.
Roig feels one of the reasons Rafa has a slight advantage over Nole is because of his very high confidence level after winning RG.
Rafa’s recover efforts after his del Potro match were redoubled in order for him to be his possible best for today’s match; more than 8 hours sleep each night to permit his body to heal; very light training [1 hour] only to review some aspects of what he may encounter in today’s match against Nole; cryogenic therapy; proper diet; a lot of relaxation; constant vigilance and care from his team of TinTin, Roig and Dr. Cotorro. From what I have read Team Nadal is not leaving anything to chance. I have VERY positive “sensations” about Rafa’s chances of winning this match.
Roof or no roof, Rafa has to believe he can win no matter what.
RAFA FOR THE WIN
Titin.
All credit to Anderson & Isner, but i’m hoping for a quick 5th set!
Not looking likely is it Lorna, I don’t understand why they don’t start the matches earlier when the know they can go on for this long, if Rafas’s and Novak’s match does the same it will probably have to be finished off tomorrow and that might be an advantage for the love cupper
Oh please make it stop. Someone break. I need rafa to come on
Oh i like the “love cupper”. Very good Maria
Wimbledon need to put a tie-break into the 5th set. I’m not sure what tradition not having one is based on, but it doesn’t seem worth it for the disruption it causes.
I am all for Rafa, but thinking more generally, today’s situation disadvantages any player who has to go on second.
I know that adaptability is part of the sport – most players acknowledge this – but it feels like today’s situation is avoidable.
This is getting boring now😴, I’d rather Rafas’s match be postponed till tomorrow, which I know won’t happen, hopefully when they do eventually get on court we will see some exciting action, some racket breaking and at the end of the match one deflated ego ( from you know who) and a chest we have come to see and love Lol
Just logged onto the match of Anderson & Isn, ……. seems like a first serve practice going on rather than a tennis match……only a back and forth one, two point tennis……Anderson is the stronger player!!!!
Vamos Rafa por el tercero, eres el major Buena suerte para manana Que Dios te bendiga
Good luck today Rafa! I know you can do it! You’re the best!!!