Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas will be squaring off for the third time in their careers when they collide in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday.
Date: January 24, 2019
Match time: 7:30 PM AEDT local time / 2:30 AM EST – New York, Montreal / 8:30 AM GMT – United Kingdom / 9:30 AM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on playing Stefanos:
He’s a player that during the last year has been improving every month. He’s able to win against the best players of the world already. He’s a great player. He’s unbelievable today but he will have the chance to be one of the best for such a long time.
Stefanos on Rafa:
I played him once on clay, once hard court. I felt very close to beating him in Toronto, though the score was 6-2, 7-6. I remember coming back to the locker room and promising to myself I’m going to do much better against him next time.
The pair have faced each other of two previous occasions, with Rafa winning in straight sets both times at Barcelona and the Canadian Masters last year.
| Year | Event | Surface | RND | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada Canada |
Outdoor Hard | F | Rafael Nadal | |
| 2018 | Barcelona Spain |
Outdoor Clay | F | Rafael Nadal |
At 32 years 238 days, Rafa is 12 years 70 days older than Tsitsipas, who is 20 years 168 days. It is the 9th largest age gap between a pair of Grand Slam men’s singles semifinalists in the Open Era and the 4th-largest age gap between a pair of Australian Open men’s singles semifinalists in the Open Era.
Rafa is bidding to reach his 25th Grand Slam final and close the gap on Roger Federer at the top of the list for most Grand Slam final appearances in history
Rafa is also bidding to become the first man in the Open Era – and only the 3rd man in history – to win each of the 4 Grand Slam titles twice. Roy Emerson and Rod Laver are the only players to have won each Grand Slam on 2 or more occasions.
Good luck & Vamos Rafa!
We love you Rafa wining or lose you are the Best Clay player in the world and a human being your fans love you 😍🌎😘🌎😘🌎😘🌎😘
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL AND FIESTY VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) CI……..CI……….CI…………SENIOR CHAMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SOLID BRILLIANT TENNIS AND YOUR BODY IS BEYOND GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) NO PLAYER IS STRONGER FIGHTER THAN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) NO ONE IS AS PASSIONATE AND DETRMIND AS YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : 0 BEST OF ALL, NO OTHER TOP PLAYER IS AS GOOD AS YOU…..AND ALL YOUR MATCHES ARE GREAT FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) NO BIG DEAL AND NO PRESSUER BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND…..NO PLAYER HAS YOUR BLESSED FIVE SETS ENDURANCE OR YOUR TOP TOP TOP SHAPE, AND YOUR REACH AND NET MAGIC AND FANTASTIC EFFECTIVE SERVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) POINT BY POINT YOU CAN ENJOY YOUR BESUATIFUL, PASSIONATE TENNIS AND ENJOY YOUR CLASSY STYLE OF FIGHTING FOR EACH BALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO AND ENJOY YOUR SOLID AGGRESSION AND CONVICTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) KEEP SMILING SWEETHEART AND KNOW WE LOVE YOU AND VERY VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXGO RAFA GO AND WE KEEP SINGING LETS GO RAFA LETS GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART & HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND A LOVELY TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY CELBRATING WITH YOUR LOVED ONE AND ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ALL OF US FANS ARE WITH YOU EACH POINT YOU PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KUDOS SWEETHEART AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON YOUR MAGNIFICENT VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX LOOKING FORWARD TO WATCHING YOUR SEMI REPLAY XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
It’s bagel time.
CONGRATZ to Rafa for his routing of Stephanos. He made him eat his words.
RAFA ROCKS
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ; ) YOU ARE THE BEST PLAYER SWEETHEART AND YOU CAN ENJOY TAKING EACH MATCH, POINT BY POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE BRILLIANT AND SHARP AND FIT AND NO ONE HAS YOUR BLESSED FIESTY FIVE SETS ENDURANCE…….SO I HAVE A SENSE THIS IS ALL YOURS GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU AND KNOW YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE ULTIMATE PRECIOUS GOAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LETS GO RAFA LETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) BAGEL OR NOT YOU ARE PLAYING MAGNIFICENTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOUR REACH AND COURT COVERGAE IS BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
YEH…….FINALLY GOT THE LIVE STREAM…..YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE LEADING AND PLAYING SOLID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LEADING TWO SETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) I AM UNABLE TO GET ONTO THE LIVE STREAM FOR SOME REASON SO WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE REPLAY……..BUT I CAN SEE LIVE SCORES…..BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : 0 THIS IS A GREAT MATCH FOR YOU AND YOU ARE THE BETTER, STRONGER PLAYER……..GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU AND SENDING LOTS OF LOVE AND HAPPINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX KEEP SMILING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
Rafa has whooped Stephanos twice. He was demolished in May 2018 in Barcelona 6-2, 6-1. He was then beaten on his birthday on August 12, 2018, in Toronto 6-2, 7-6 [7-4]. He has subsequently said he felt he was winning at Toronto. Duuhhhh. This loss came after he declared “I’m capable of doing anything on court and beating any opponent.”
Not so fast Stephanos. You are not the only one who has improved since you last played Rafa. So if Rafa were better than you last year, think how much better than you he is now in 2019. You have a way to go before you can claim to be the giant killer because Rafa is the giant of tennis.
GOOD LUCK RAFA. Make Stephanos eat his words.
RAFA ROCKS