On Tuesday night, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem will face each other for the first time on hard courts in the quarterfinals of the 2018 US Open.
Date: 4 September 2018
Match time: Around 9 PM EDT – New York, Montreal / Wednesday 2 AM BST – United Kingdom / Wednesday 3 AM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / Wednesday 11 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
This will be a rematch of this year’s French Open final–won by our champ in straight sets. The world No. 1 leads the head-to-head series 7-3 overall, including 2-1 this season and 5-2 dating back to the start of 2017.
Rafa on facing Thiem:
He’s a fantastic player. He’s a very powerful player. He’s a great guy. Very good relationship with him. Happy for him that he’s in quarter-finals here. Last year he lost a very tough match against Del Potro here…
It is going to be a tough one.
He is a very powerful player and he knows how to play these kind of matches. I need to play my best match of the tournament if I want to keep having chances to stay in the tournament.
Thiem on playing Rafa:
I’m really looking forward to play him on hard court for the first time. On clay, I think it’s one of the biggest challenges in sports to beat this guy or to compete with this guy. I hope that it’s a little bit more comfortable on hard court, but I’m not sure.
To compete with Rafa well, I always have to have a great day, and I have to play well.
I think that I have very powerful ground strokes, and I can even hurt him with them. But the key is to play really fast and powerful. But on the same time, not make too many mistakes.
I think nobody’s game really matches up well with his. That’s why he’s so unbelievably successful. No matter what, it’s always really tough to play against him. As I said, I’m really looking forward to see how it is on a different surface than clay.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Sources: ATP World Tour, US Open
Hmm…… what’s happening already🤔
Vamos, Rafa. I’m your number1 fan and will be watching no matter how late you play, and I am pretty long in years to do this. I am certainly praying for you. I know you will beat Theim. Hang in there during the heat. Stay healthy. Who am I to advise you anyway? Go get him.t
As much as I never want Federer to win – felt sorry for him yesterday. He looked very out of sorts and tired. Didn’t play like himself at all.
I much rather Djokovic is/was out. He’ll beat Millman. Roger was substandard but joker is fine. Terrible if he wins the US open. Wish all the players other than joker work on their mental strength. Then there is a chance ….. . Wish that I’d course for Rafa most of all.
Rafa wish you every bit of luck, skill, mental and physical strength, courage aiming to win, win, win!!!!!
VAMOS!
Good luck against Thiem. Stay healthy🍀The humidity must be crushing in NYC;
however, you and your team have battled it before-so all the best👊💪👍👏❣️
Wow I woke up to a shock! It seems the humidity was a problem for Fed. I was so sure he was going to the Final after his performance over Kyrgios… how wrong I was! My sympathies go to the Fed fans, as that is a horrible thing to happen when you think your player is in form. It makes me reflect on the differences between Rafa and Roger, though – how Rafa likes to have those doubts and tests and struggles early on (not too many!) whereas Roger needs to make a clean run of it.
Do you think Millman can give Djoker a tough time?
From The Guardian newspaper (UK):
“I always was of the opinion that I was in the fourth round for a reason,” Millman said. “I’ve never played anyone’s reputation. That’s been a constant with me ever since I played the game, because, if you do that, you start behind the eight ball straight away.”
Asked if he thought he could beat Djokovic, he said: “Yeah, why not? I’ll have to improve a lot on the last time I played him. He’s an incredible player. He’s in some really good form. But why not? I think it’s a disservice to who I am if I go out there and don’t have that belief.”
Good morning Alex.
As much as I would LOVE (LOVE LOVE!!) for the Millman upset train to continue against the Djoker, I just have a feeling that Djoker will enjoy a straight sets win and probably throw in a bagel for good effect. Prove me wrong Millman!
I hope Rafa’s boiler is on, because he’s going to need a lot of steam against Thiem. Ooh see what I did here? Steam against Thiem:)
Nice day everyone. See you all tonight as we unite in support of our champ!
Alex, I watched Novak’s match intermittently. I noted that he seemed on the verge of passing out at one time, it was when he either came back from a time off to recoup or during a changeover. He was standing at the back of the court…wiping his face then seemed to stand still while leaning backwards. I think it was the second or third set. Don’t remember. He appeared as if maybe he was exhausted. Gathering his thoughts? Trying to gather strength? I don’t know. Do you know when I am talking about? Your thoughts? if you did see that scene. I thought he was really going to pass out.
About Millman, I remember his name and whatever the event was I had the vaguest feeling it was in his favor. I thought he would give Roger a hard time but not enough to win. I saw the first set, again, while switching channels. Except for Rafa, I find the ATP matches boring. Have been watching more of the WTA matches. Sorry Halep is out as I wanted a Simona/Sloan final. Maybe we’ll get a Sloan/Madison final.
No disrespect to Milman but fed was awful. 10 df, 80 unforced errors. He really looked old today. He is just not the same player since AO. His ranks 2nd but he’s playing like a world no. 25.
Well he won Aussie open because they treated him like a princess. Giving night matches, while the others were battling through scorching heat. AO desperately wanted that to be Feds 20th.
I think that’s a little harsh Navdeep. It must have been like a coldron in the stadium with the high heat and humidity and Fed said he couldn’t get any air and couldn’t wait for the match to be over. He was totally cooked physically. I don’t understand why they closed the roof when it wasn’t raining and I hope they don’t do the same for Rafa’s match against Thiem. Don’t forget that there have been quite a few retirements due to the heat during the tournament. Having said all this, it’s true that Fed isn’t the same physically as years gone by and that’s why he’s been giving the FO a swerve and I don’t think he’ll be making an appearance there again. I reckon that the next Wimbledon will be his swan song as far as majors are concerned.
With Roger out – is there any stopping Novak getting to the final? Should he get there and win it – he’s getting closer and closer to Rafa’s grand slam tally and that is something I could not bear. Hoping Millman sorts him out in the next round but somehow I doubt it. Just food for thought. Wishing Rafa all the best tonight against dominic. Luckily I’m not in work on Weds so can have a late night watching it.
Fed couldn’t have stopped djoker anyway. Positive is that he didn’t add any points by reaching quarters. Best of luck to Rafa. Vamos💪💪💪
loving the match between Federer and Millman. So glad I m not a Feds fan
Yeah, me too. It’s a dog fight for Fed unlike his match against Nick.
WOOW I just woke up and what do I see? Fed fighting just to get to a 4th set tiebreak. Aww… I must have missed a lot- The great man has been taken out!
And so has my satellite signal by some rain:)
Wamos Rafa, you are the best.
OMG I’m so nervous !!! VAMOS Rafa please do not stumble ! I’ll be watching and cheering for you Good luck
I’ll the best for the much on tuesday good luck champ vamosssssssssss# you are playing so good love your fans for ever 🎾🎾🎾🎾👍👍👍😘😘🎈😘❤️❤️❤️❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
The challenging ones bring out the best in both. A good test of both!!! Rafa plays his best when he is challenged. Vamos man!!!! Vamos!!!!??
I’m glad this is at night. Hopefully that will give Rafa a little more time to recoup his stores of energy, and the temperature won’t be as draining as a day session. Of course, the same advantage accrues to his opponent… but I’m thinking (wishing!) more generally, beyond this match.
All the best for the match Rafa. Go for it <3
Best of luck Rafa! Do your magic. Vamos💪💪💪