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!
rafa needs to win the second set otherwise the match is over
yep
Rafa has to go to plan B as Novak is only going to get better. He always seems to raise his game against Rafa as he relishes the combat.
Abandoning the match for awhile , can’t stomach watching Novak , they will need to open the roof soon for when his ego and head expands, Rafa come out fighting and claim the next set.
I’m sticking with it cos I am a masochist
Lol
Dont blame you maria. Novak is screaming and muttering. Shut it Novak – its a semi final of wimbledon. Not the Novak show. What a cretin.
Following on scoreboard tennis and as soon as Rafa starts winning I will be back with you,
😐
Niiiice hold. Just like that. Now break him back.
HE WILL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
gaaaah Rafa do you *practice* serving into the net?!
Come on, champ. Keep it sharp.
Novak’s return is excellent and he is hitting the bl early, taking time away from Rafa, hence the break.He looks calm and i can feel Rafa panicking, please Rafa calm down.
Yeah I agree there needs to be a major shift in confidence here. Come on, Raf.
C’mon Rafa take it back! U r clearly the better player today, just do some fine tuning 💪💪💪vamos
Oh bugger off Novak
oh dear😟
Oh no , poor Rafa only 3 games in and he’s absolutely soaked , it must be so hot and uncomfortable with that bloody roof shut , damn you Novak
Can’t help feeling it shd be damn you Isner/Anderson. If they hadn’t taken so long, Rafa wdn’t have had to play with the roof closed.
The Wimbledon crowd have always been fair but there’s no guessing who their favourite is tonight, what impeccable taste they have😋
Hey now Rafa, calm down. Don’t go making those little errors like missing an overhead smash. Thank you!
Both playing well so far.
Yeah Rafa, chill and kill.
Hi Mac, hope you enjoyed you’re dinner 😁
Thanks Maria, I got room service instead. Since Anderson decided to do the decent thing, I’m now firmly planted in my hotel room watching Rafa’s match:)
Oh
Very different feel with the roof closed. Hope Rafa can adapt and quickly settle. First serves are you friend, Raf 🙂
Rafa looks tense. Hope he settles in quickly.
It could be a case of “good nerves”. Big match, big opponent, big wait… Hopefully that service hold will have played him in.
Oh – I got the feeling that Novak was a bit tense. Time will tell – maybe they both need to loosen up a little
VAMOS SWEETHEART…..YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOVE SEEING CLOSE UPS OF YOUR COACH ROIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) HE LOOKS SO INCREDIBLY MEASURED AND INTELLIGENTLY CALM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE CAN TELL IS BEHIND YOU LOYALLY 100% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU AND VERY HAPPY FOR YOU! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
Kevin is a lovely thoughtful guy. He spoke so well in the post match interview, giving so much credit to John.Great sportsmaship by both. Kevin had mixed emotions because he knows that this match took so much out of both of them. No wonder he said that the tournament offciials will have to look at the match format. Could we be seeing final set tie breaks next year?
Hope so, mate.
Agreed. Much respect to Kevin. Very considerate gentleman.
And how about his feats? He has only gone and knocked out the 2 players who had not been broken all tournament until they faced him!
OK, Rafa it’s your turn to do something! Do it well champ!
I Don’t understand, the match will be cut no ? and the winner will have less day off
It’s 8pm local time; they have until 11pm to play. So 3 hours.
Past that, they will roll it over to tomorrow. I agree it’s not ideal.
Maybe unless they can finish it by 11pm
It’s 7 am here in new zeal and. I woke up at 2 , 4 and then 6 am to see Rafa’s match. One very looonnggggggg night! Best of luck Rafa.
Dedication!