Rafael Nadal and Fabio Fognini will be squaring off for the 15th time in their careers when they meet on Saturday.
Date: April 20, 2019
Match time: Not before 3.30 PM local time / 9.30 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 2.30 PM BST – United Kingdom / 3.30 PM CEST – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / 11.30 PM AEST – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Our champ is 11-3 against Fognini. The most recent match was in Rome of 2018, a match Rafa won in straight sets. Rafa has won six straight matches against Fognini, with the last loss coming in the 2015 US Open. He is 6-2 against Fognini on clay court and nine of the matches overall have been decided in straight sets.
Rafa on playing Fabio:
He’s one of the biggest talents in this sport. He’s able to win against anybody when he’s playing well and I believe he’s playing well.
Fabio on playing Rafa:
Everywhere it’s difficult with him. I’ll just try to enjoy this match, try to recover as best I can, eat well, sleep well, play with [my son] Federico a little bit before I sleep and tomorrow is another day. I’ll try to do my best game. I know that it’s difficult, but I have the game to play against him.
Rafa is seeking a record-breaking 12th title in Monte Carlo, and a first ATP Tour title since last August’s Toronto Masters.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP Tour
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND IT IS NO BIG DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE THE BETTER, STRONGER PLAYER AND YOUR SKILLS ARE UNMATCHED… …WE LOVE YOU SWEETHEART AND TRUST THAT YOU KNOW YOUR PRECIOUS ABILITY AND SKILL AND KEEP GOING SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KNOWING THAT SOME PLAYERS CAN NOT RELY ON THEIR SKILL SO THEY INTRODUCE ANGER, AND MANIPULATION AND INSANE LIKE ENERGY……THESE FEW OFFISH , OUT OF THEIR MIND PLAYERS, FOOL OTHERS WITH THEIR MANIPULATION AND BAD ENERGY ON THE COURT………BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, AT SOME POINT THIS SICK ENERGY AND ILL MANIPULATION LOSES ITS POWER WHEN OTHERS FIND OUT THAT IT IS ONLY A FOOLING FRONT TO THROW OFF THEIR OPPONENTS. THAT SICK, ILL ENERGY IS DISPLAYED FOR LACK OF TRUE TENNIS SKILL. SO KEEP GOING SWEETHEART, AND TRUST THAT YOU ALREADY RECOGNIZE THIS FROM PREVIOUS MATCHES.
ENJOY ALL THE BEAUTIFUL TENNIS YOU HAVE PRODUCED SWEETHEART AND KNOW THAT A LOSS IS NO BIG DEAL…….ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS CLEAR YOU HAVE BETTER GOODS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : …. WE LOVE YOU AND LOVE THE WAY YOU DID NOT ALLOW ,TO BE BAGELED, SHOWS THAT YOU ALREADY FIGURED OUT AND THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY YOUR HARD WORK SWEETHEART AND ALLOW YOURSELF LOTS OF PRIDE AND RESPECT FOR YOUR BRILLIANT, SOLID STAND AND YOUR CLASSY TOP TOP TOP LEVEL OF COMPETETIVE FIGHTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) IT IS ALL APRAT OF THE SPORT AND WE LOVE YOU AND WISH YOU A BEAUTIFUL BREAK BETWEEN TOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART AND PLEASE TAKE TIME TO KNOW YOUR EXTRODINARY BEAUTIFUL TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SENDING LOTS OF LOVE AND HAPPINESS AND VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
I am praying he is not injured.
RAFA ROCKS
Overview
Sad day for all Rafamaniacs out there. Even I, the world-famous critic of Rafa, felt some pity for Rafa yesterday. Of a truth, however, it might well be due to Rafa’s body not yet fully restored to 100%.
I knew Fognini was up to no good knowing that Rafa was not fully fit to match his capricious playing style. In his presser after defeating Borna Coric, he said” ….and next is a match with the King of Clay” There was a sinister smile on his face when he said the words ”King of Clay”. It was indeed a ”lucky upset” considering that the Nadal recovery process is slow and builds up in parts.
Rafa Nadal is wired like a Machine. When a machine breaks down, it will need to be test run for some time before it can begin to work 100%, And Fognini knows this too well. He knows he couldn’t have defeated a 100% Nadal. What Fognini defeated yesterday was the true version of ”an injured person playing tennis.’
Back to Reality/Back to Life
Of a truth however winning a 12th title might eventually not be possible for Nadal. Why? In his presser after winning his La Decimal, Rafa Nadal had famously said ”I don’t want to win a 12th Roland Garros” Although it is said that Rafa does not believe in the existence of a God, we all know that God indeed exists as a supernatural force who created the universe. When we sleep, we go into the spirit world and we dream. Dreams are proofs of God’s invisible existence. It is the spirit that controls the physical.
God indeed created Rafa Nadal and gave him all those wonderful tennis talents to excel and to help humanity. If God had decreed Nadal to achieve 12 RG and Nadal says no, then a 12th RG or any other 12 th title for that matter will not happen unless Nadal seeks forgiveness from God and follows up with a public retraction of the statement: ”I dont want a 12th Roland Garros title”
But as always, we’d see…………….cheers and happy Easter.
Rafa Rocks. (winks)
Rafa seemed low energy to me. Oh well, you win some and you lose some… Fognini has been a thorn in Rafa’s side before, and he does it again! Fair play to him, he came to win, and he did.
So what next for our Rafa? Stay sharp champ!
Fognini took him out
VAMOS SWEETHEART AND GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!:) LOVE YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON EVERYTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
VAMOS. SWEETHEART!!!!!!!:) CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR CLASSY EXCITING VICTORY!!!!!!:) YOUR POINT BY POINT GENIUS PLAY IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!:) YOUR FITNESS AND EVERYTHING YOU DO IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND FUN………AND SO EXCITING……..YOU TAKE SUCH WISE MOVES AND FIND CREATIVE CHOICES……WE LOVE YOU DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!:) ENJOY EVERYTHING SWEETHEART AND HAVE LOTS OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!:) OUR FAMILY IS VERY HAPPY FOR YOU AND SO IMPRESSED BY YOUR HARD WORK AND EFFORTS AND YOUR SOLID WAYS!!!!!!!!!:) LOVE YOUR SHARP AND EFFECTIVE SERVE……GOODNESS ACES ON CLAY……AND JUST THOSE STRONG POWERFUL RETURNS…….VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND A GREAT TIME FOR YOUR PRECIOUS TENNIS!!!!!!:) WI…..WI……WI……..WE LOVE YOU AND SENDING LOTS OF LOVE AND HAPPINESS AND VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) KEEP SMILING!!!:) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Please restore the usual Symbol next to Fan love posting….ty
Good luck our Champ 🏆 I’m going to have to give in and subscribe to Amazon prime as this is the first year I have not been able to watch Rafa on the tour and it’s killing me! Lol! Can I get some advice from anyone here please? Is it an app, how does it work on your t.v.? Can you record? Any advice would be great 👍. Thanks in advance.
Hi Elaine. I share your frustration. I really miss Sky Sport’s coverage of men’s tennis.
You can sign up for a 30 day free trial with Amazon Prime which will allow you to watch the clay tournaments leading up to the French Open (Barcelona, Madrid & Rome). Rome ends on 19th May. The French Open is on ITV 4 if you are in the UK. You will get to watch them on your tv and phone or ipad. You can’t rewind a live match or record it (at least i can’t seem to). However, replays and highlights are available immediately after a match. You also need to remember to cancel the subscription before the 30 days trial ends, otherwise you will be charged in full. If you have other members in your household they can take advantage of the free trial themselves in their own right. This will enable you to watch other tournaments later in the year, which are only on Amazon. I hope this is helpful.
Fantastic thank you Lorna
Rafa getting married in October?
My Congratulations & Good Wishes to him, his fiancee, his family and his friends and Fans!
Rafa must make Fognini move and not just swing it out from the baseline . This is a dangerous opponent and on a roll having beat Sasaha and Boric in successive matches . This could be Rafa Fognini match for the ages . Rafa will prevail !
So Rafa has announced that he will get married in October. That’s great timing. Get all the important tournaments out of the way before the big day!
Meanwhile Fabio Fognini is waiting in the wings and he’s looking to take desperate measures if necessary. He said of Rafa “What can I do against him? I should kill him!” 😂😂😂 “I lost to him more than I won but I think i have the game to hurt him and I know he knows that I can make him struggle”.
We know what Fabio can do when he’s in the mood and he’ll be up for thefight against Rafa, for sure. Show no mercy champ and take this guy out!
“TAKE HIM OUT RAFA.” Love it.
RAFAMAZING ROCKS
Magician on a mission with a racquet.
4 More hours to go.
RAFAMAZING ROCKS
All the Best and Good luck.Vamos Rafa!
You still have your magic Rafa so show Fabio how ruthless you can be, again. Magician with a racquet.
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa find his weak spot and play to it hard. Remember you are the King of Clay and you can do this. You have played so well so far and I have enjoyed watching you. Just do your best and serve well you need to work on that sorry but 2 double faults in a row is a no no. concentrate and play like the King of Clay
a fan always
kathie
You got this Rafa!!! You are the one and only King of Clay!!!!!!
Could be a tough one against the italian-show-man but if Rafa plays aggressive and with confidence he will win this. Go for it champ. Vamos Rafa <3