Top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal continues his US Open campaign as he takes on 22-year-old Karen Khachanov for a place in the fourth round.
Date: Friday, 31 August 2018
Match time: Around 1.30 PM EDT – New York, Montreal / 6.30 PM BST – United Kingdom / 7.30 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / Saturday 3.30 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa holds a lifetime 4-0 advantage over the 6-foot-6 Russian. The pair played a tight match just weeks ago in Toronto, with our champ emerging the victor 7-6, 6-4.
| Year | Event | Surface | RND | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada Canada |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2018 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Monaco |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2017 | Beijing China |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2017 | Wimbledon Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | R32 | Rafael Nadal |
Rafa on playing Khachanov:
He’s a great opponent. He’s a great player. Young, strong, I played against him in Toronto three weeks ago. It was a tough one.
I’m excited to play that match and I hope it will be a good one. I need to play well to try to be through and that’s what I’m looking for.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP World Tour
Not sure but Rafa looks as if he’s in pain. Hope not!!!
I thought he looked tired. I hope its not pain!!
Not sure if rafa has cranked it up or if karen has gone off the boil but a break is a break. Well done Rafa
Karen has definitely gone off the boil Susan. But somehow Rafa is playing more assertive.
Ok finally I have a feeling. This match is gonna end on a good note
WOO!! Rafa breaks in the fourth. Now normal service has resumed! Hold four times now Rafa.
Someone pass me a brandy and coke. My nerves are in tatters! 😳😳😳
Want some ice and lime Lorna? :):)
I’ll be having drinks with a friend in about 30 minutes, so Rafa needs to finish this up soonest so I can pry myself away from the TV!
Meanwhile, Shapovalov has taken Anderson to a 5th set. I’m rooting for him now.
Cheers Mac! Have a good one 🍷🍸🍺
This is hard! But he’s not champion for nothing – you can still break him, Rafa!
Omg – what a point to win the 3rd set. This is good stuff but nerve wracking too.
OK. I have developed a headache. What a great play to end the third set! Awesome!
Rafa still not in the clear. He needs to clean up his game in the fourth set.
Phew
Thank you God Almighty
Rafa can’t close it out, so Khachanov wants to help him:) Double fault for another set point to Rafa!
Ahhh Rafael!!
COME ON RAFA! CLOSE IT OUT!!!
Lovely, simply lovely to bring up set point in the tie break.
C’ mon Rafa u can do it💪
One of them important games coming up. If Rafa breaks, he wins this set.
Are you up for it Rafa? We are!
Please Rafa wrap it up
YAY, Rafa holds to love. Looking good champ!
Now I know what’s missing from here!! Where is Fan Love???
Have to say, I sort of miss those crazy ramblings:)
Where is Maria England? And Rainier too.
This is quite fitting actually. Both players had not dropped a set coming into this match. And now they’ve both dropped one each so far:)
And now, neither player had lost prior to this match (Obviously), but one of them has to go home tonight. Send Khachanov home like ET Rafa!!
Yes, I agree with the commentator on Amazon in that Rafa needs to flatten his shots out more, so that it skids through the court quicker. Khachanov has a lot of time on Rafa’s ball. He definitely can’t afford to feed the likes of Kyrgios and Novak with this type of shot spinny shot.
Nice passing shot there by Khachanov. This guy will not go away quietly. Put him to sleep Rafa!
Oh come on! Even in a rally where it seems Rafa is in control, he ends up losing the point! Clean up those little errors champ!
WOOOOW!! Rafa saves 3 break points finally:)
Reminds me of USO2013 when he saved 3 against Djoker and went on to win. Beautiful memories!
Finally khachanov showing some signs of nerves
Come on Rafa. Break his spirit!