The 2019 Wimbledon draw is out. Rafael Nadal will face Yuichi Sugita in the first round and could meet Nick Kyrgios in the second round. Marin Cilic is a potential fourth-round opponent. Our champ may then meet Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals.
Rafa’s potential route to the final:
- 1st round: Yuichi Sugita
- 2nd round: Nick Kyrgios
- 3rd round: Denis Shapovalov
- Last 16: Marin Cilic
- Quarter-final: Dominic Thiem
- Semi-final: Roger Federer
- Final: Novak Djokovic
Wimbledon 2019 projected men’s singles quarterfinals:
- Novak Djokovic v Stefanos Tsitsipas
- Kevin Anderson v Alexander Zverev
- Dominic Thiem v Rafael Nadal
- Kei Nishikori v Roger Federer
Rafa is bidding to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year for the 3rd time and equal Bjorn Borg’s all-time record of 3 back-to-back titles in Paris and London. Borg achieved the feat in 3 consecutive years (1978-80), while our champ won Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back in 2008 and 2010.
Who do you think has the toughest draw? Who has the best chance of reaching the final? Comment below!
Luckystar and Marileena, thank you for your positive comments.
I feel so bad for Rafa, so angry at Wimbledon, that I just can’t think straight. And I read on a previous post that Federer had the gall to say ” Seedings don’t matter”. Of course they don’t, when they’re always weighted in your favour.
We know Rafa will give 110%, but just for once it would be nice for him to get some of the breaks. And has anyone said that his 18 GS titles are a miraculous achievement, in view of his many absences from the tour due to injury. Federer’s 20 was achieved with no injury time out, as far as I know, over a longer time span, and yet he’s only 2 ahead.
Sorry, I’ m so mad, had to get that off my chest!
It is now the duty of the ATP to right this unfair situation, in the interests of ALL players, not just Rafa. They have the power to tell W to get off their high and mighty perch, and get into line with the other GS tournaments.
Michele, I am a big Rafa fan myself but there is absolutely no reason to think that Rafa’s draw would have been any different had he been seeded second.
Being seeded third had only one downside: the possibility for Rafa to meet Novak in the semifinal. I did not happen so the tough draw that Rafa has is just the outcome of probabilities.
He could have had the exact same draw had he been seeded second.
Another thing that you are wrong about is that Wimbledon organizers favored Federer, which they did not. The rule is in place since forever so they did not come up with it just to help Federer avoid Novak in the semis.
I also think it is a bad rule but it did not affect Rafa’s draw at all and it did not favor Federer either.
Imagine that this rule could have helped Rafa too during his carrier if he had met the conditions.
I do not mean W favoured Federer in the way you seem to think I mean. What I strongly object to is their ignoring of world rankings, for some outdated “formula” of their own, which is no longer relevant nowadays.
Why bother to have world rankings, if you don’t use them? Roland Garros is also played on a “unique” surface, but they don’t meddle with the seedings, they stick to the rankings. In the 15 years Rafa has played at RG, I understand he was only seeded no.1 3 times, the times he was world ranked no. 1. Similarly, during Sampras’s long reign as no.1, he was always seeded 1 at RG, tho’ realistically his chances were not as good as some of the clay specialists seeded below him.
Why should W insist on a privilege that is now obsolete? Today’s players can play on all surfaces, so why is W to continue going their own sweet way – basically sticking two fingers up to the players and to other tournaments?
Lastly, “a rule being in place forever” does not mean it is set in stone, and should not be changed when circumstances have changed. We all have to adapt, as things change. So should W, they are not some tin god, whose word is law for evermore. I don’t know where you got “forever” from, either. I read this was an agreement between the ATP and W in the 90s. Court surfaces, including grass, are much more standardised now, so I don’t see why W should hang on to this outdated privilege.
Time for the ATP to remember that they were formed to protect the interests of the PLAYERS.
Well said Michelle totally agree with every word . It is shameful… even worse than I expected biased Wimbledon …. W stinks. The other 3 Slams treat ALL players fairly and respectfully.
Michele, you literally said it favors Roger and a lot of people on this forum seem to blame the seeding system for the tough draw Rafa got which is absolutely not true. He could have had the exact same draw being seeded second. We could have complained about the system if Rafa had been drawn in the same half as Novak but that did not happen.
The rule is stupid indeed, I agree with you on that but they did not come up with it before this year’s tournament just to make it harder for Rafa or to help Federer. When I said “forever” I meant way before Rafa and Roger were in the picture.
I really hope that Rafa will prevail but it is going to be really hard because he has to be at his best since the beginning of the tournament with no room for bad matches.
Vamos!
Rafa is 100% capable of winning this tournament. Full stop. If however by some chance he should fall short the last person I want to see win other than Fed is Kyrgios. I started watching tennis in the 1970’s and became so turned off by the brats of that era that I gave it up for 30 years. Only returned for the Wimby final of 2008. Boorish behaviour and unsportsmanlike conduct should not be supported.
👍
Federer is all round favourite at SW19..so isn’t it just a co-incidence that the draw favours him and also favoured for knocking Rafa out of world no. 2 ..oh it wrecks my head. In relation how they favoured Nole with closing the roof..that was the pitts..
Totally agree Lillian Connor …. favouritism especially fir Fed …. the roof was totally shameful but Wimbledon didn’t want Rafa to win the match/championship to catch up Slam total on you know who 👎 Wimbledon stinks
Rafa show them you are going to play amazing tennis and win all the way to the finals good luck champ ,you can do it vamossssssssss champ 💪💪💪🎾🎾🎾😘😘😘👍👍👍😘😘😘❤️❤️👍
Tough draw. It is unfair that wimbledon does this and no other grand slam does this. We need to change that. Federer would lose in the first rounds in Rafa’s draw. It is Not even Nick Kyrgios. Have you seen the way shapovalov has been playing. He just beat Djokovic and Cilic just beat Nadal. Besides the fact, Rafa will definitely navigate his way through these tough matches and get his 19th grand slam!!!VAMOS RAFA!!!!
Does anyone who defends Wimbledon’s choice to place Rafa after RF truly believe that this was pure Wimbledon principles and the two persons concerned had nothing to do with this choice?
You mean Wimb… does not favour RF and Rafa has not previously tasted their hostility? Remember closed roof 2018 semifinal?
PUMA, I fail to find one fan in support of Roger being seeded #2. There have been explanations of Wimbledon’s formula but I feel Rafa’s fans all agree it is unjustified meddling with players’ hard-earned rankings not to be seeded according to rank.
I pray that Rafa goes all the way and wins the Wimbledon trophy and then sticks two fingers up to the Wimbledon tennis hierarchy. Ofcourse being the gentleman he is he won’t ever do that. However hopefully a win would help the seeding next year. Good luck and God be with you. A fan always
Couldn’t agree more …. hope our prayers are answered . Wimbledon is shameful
I can’t believe this draw isn’t fixed-all weighted in federer”s favour again. And Kyrgios in round 2, did Federer do the draw himself!! I’m sure that Rafa can do it,and it will be much more rewarding than the easier draw of Federer and Djoko.
Vamps Rafa
Fed breathing a sigh of relief looking at his own and Rafa’s draw!
Rafa’s draw could’ve been Fed’s, had Fed got beaten by Tsonga or Agut at Halle. Tsonga almost got him at Halle!
Anyway, Fed could have it easy in the early rounds like at the FO, but things would get tough from QF onwards.
Rafa may have a tough early round draw, but once he navigates past them, he will get better and better and that’s important for him.
I know Rafa will concentrate one match at a time, he can do it against Kyrgios as long as he serves well and doesn’t get nervous.
I really doubt that Kyrgios could serve any better than Muller (in 2017 Wimbledon) and Rafa was so close to winning that match then, so Rafa CAN beat Kyrgios if they meet, because I doubt Kyrgios could serve without missing for five sets (and Rafa will try to stretch the match to as long as possible if Kyrgios is playing well in the match).
Ugh! Rafa v Kyrgios in the second round just has disaster written all over it! A bad draw is just bad luck, though – no-one’s done it on purpose! Fingers crossed for the best.
Bad draw, not deserved to be seeded 3rd.
He’ll make light work of Kyrgios unless Kyrgios meets an out of form Raffa and is at peak himself but match fitness he’ll struggle to keep up with Raffa over 5 unless he takes him in 3 off in tie breaks. Unlikely … good warm up game
I agree – Very tough draw. Some part of me is saying it’s not worth risking his health (especially his knees) on grass – on the other hand he has of course a real chance to go all the way and you don’t have that many grand slam chances … so – but i am just worried that long and very tough grass matches will prevent him from playing at the hardcore season. Hope i am too pessimistic
Wow… you would think someone has it out for Rafa by looking at this draw… completed weighted…
I can only hope that there will be some early upsets so that Rafa’s path can be a bit easier for him… But at the end of the day, we all know HE CAN DO IT… One match at a time.. with small improvements in each match…as he takes down each one of his opponents… We’re behind you Rafael!!
Watch out everyone… Here comes Rafa!!!!!!
VAMOS RAFA!!!!!
It’s obvious that Wimbledon favors Roger but seeding him #2 over Rafa is plain favoritism. Rafa is a gentleman and a very humble man. I wish him lots of health and vamos Rafa Tu puedes.
Your number one fan
Carmen
I was more worried about eventual closed roof draw. You can’t tell what they could invent after the roof scandal of last year semis.
I heard that they will not closed the roof unless it’s raining. The roof should remain open in the continuation of a match, if the is no rain regargless the previous situation in the match. So, Rafa was (and will remain) the only person who became a victim of poor decision omade by the tourney organizer last year. It’s so ridiculous.
Ridiculous indeed😡
You would think that the Wimbledon brass has it out for our boy Rafa and wanted to give him the WORST possible draw while giving their golden boy Roger, the best possible draw. What a chicken shit deal!
Well the draw is what it is, no point blaming anything. Rafa had not done enough to get the no.two seed (had he done better in any of MC or Madrid, whatever Fed did at grass warm up wont matter!).
We just have to hope that Rafa could play his best starting from R1, he needs his great serve of AO badly imo. Should Rafa meet Kyrgios in R2, I’m sure Kyrgios will play his best tennis to try and beat Rafa; Rafa has to be at 100% or more to be able to beat Kyrgios on grass at Wimbledon. The guy Kyrgios loves such matches against the big three esp against Rafa.
Very tough – there is a part of me that says Oh no – not possible. There is another part of me that believes – VAMOS RAFA ! If only the Body can hold as many grueling matches it can – Rafa will win this WIMBY hopefully.
1st round: Yuichi Sugita
2nd round: Nick Kyrgios
3rd round: Denis Shapovalov
Last 16: Marin Cilic
Quarter-final: Dominic Thiem
Semi-final: Roger Federer
Final: Novak Djokovic
All the mentioned names are in Form and had enough Grass Practice except RAFA
Doesn’t matter, if Rafa plays well from the get go, he can beat anyone on that list.
For all we know, Rafa may be meeting Jordan Thompson in R2, Tsonga in R3, and Manarinno or Evans in R4, who knows, the draw may just open up for Rafa.
Djoko has FAA and Tsitsipas in his draw; Fed has Coric/Struff or Isner/Berrittini in his path, let’s see who among the big three progresses the furthest.
Seriously, I feel Rafa really needs to play his aggressive tennis, like his AO 2019, on the get go. He just needs to concentrate on serving well, and moves forward to control the court, putting pressure on his opponents’ service game. Of course he needs his great ROS as well, esp if it’s Kyrgios across the net.
The worst possible …. EVEN worse than what I feared Wimbledon would do. It stinks .
It s not a bad draw for Rafa 😀 although that NK cropping up is à threat 😕 particularly after that set back in 2014 😡 the others he stands a chance 😉 Fiona in Paris
Very tough draw, except of the 1st opponent. Nick in the 2nd round, grrr. Besides Rafa I would love to see Nick with the winner trophy of Wimbledon. Well lets see!! Would be nice to see a new face and not Roger or Nole.
Isabel … note the thumbs down. I think you are on the wrong fan site.
I think so too!
It doesn’t get tougher! A shame what Wimbledon has done to Rafa with seeding him just on #3.
Believe in you champ! You can do it. Vamos Rafa <3
I thnk Wimbledon officers try very best to give Rafa very hard draw . It is result of Standing against Seeding system of Wimbledon. ……….Very bad and they could do nothing except it