Fresh off of a record-extending 12th Roland-Garros crown, Rafael Nada starts his latest quest for a third Wimbledon title against Japanese qualifier Yuichi Sugita on Tuesday.
Rafa and Sugita have never played a tour match against each other.
Date: July 2, 2019
Match time: Rafa is third match on Court One. Around 4 PM local time / 11 AM EDT – New York, Montreal / 4 PM BST – United Kingdom / 5 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / Wednesday 1 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
The Japanese player has lost in the second round of his last three Challenger events, all grass events in Great Britain, but made it past Lukas Rosol in the qualifiers to make the cut. He made his first Wimbledon appearance back in 2014 and reached his best-ever showing of a second-round match in 2017 where he lost in five sets to Adrian Mannarino.
From 2006 through 2011, Rafa reached the Wimbledon final in five consecutive appearances (did not play in 2009), winning the title in 2008 and 2010. He compiled a 35-5 record in his first seven appearances. After struggling to reach the latter stages of the tournament between 2012 and 2017 (withdrew in 2016 due to a left wrist injury), our champ went on an impressive run to the semi-finals last year, where he fell to eventual champion Novak Djokovic 10-8 in a deciding fifth set. Rafa, who owns a 48-11 record at SW19, can capture his 50th Wimbledon victory this year by reaching the third round.
Rafa is trying to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles in the same year for the third time. He captured his 12th Roland Garros crown last month (d. Thiem). He swept Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles in 2008 and 2010. Bjorn Borg accomplished the feat from 1978-80.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Source: ATP Tour
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WHAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU ARE HAVING A BEAUTIFUL TIME AND LOTS OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) NO PRESSURE AT ALL JUST GLIDING AND SLIDING AND PLAYING YOUR PRECIOUS FOCUSED GENIUS TENNIS…….POINT BY POINT IS YOUR WAY…….AND WE LOVE SEEING YOU SO READY AND SO INTENT WITH YOUR PASSION AND DRIVE AND FITNESS AND ENDURANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) BEAUTIFUL RAFA NADAL TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE EVERYTHING YOU DO SWEETHEART AND APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK AND BRILLIANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) IT IS GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND A BEAUTIFUL POINT BY POINT MATCH FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU SWEETHEART AND SENDING LOTS OF LOVE AND HAPPINESS AND VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Sugita currently n. 258 although highest 36 in 2017. Nevertheless, he has already defeated 3 players at Wimb…. Fortunately Rafa takes all his rivals seriously, one step at a time.
Wamos Rafa, you are the best.
Good luck Rafa.
Go Rafa, you can win this. You’re the best.xx
Rafa, make sure Sugita’s glory days are behind him . He was ranked world No. 36 as recently as 2017. Give him the Rafa treatment.
SEVEN TO GO RAFA. And YES YOU CAN.
RAFA ROCKS
Good luck and Vamos Rafa <3
Rafa all the best vamossssssssss champ good luck .,your fans are with you all the way .❤️😘💪🎾👍🎾💪😘❤️🎾💪😘❤️🎾💪😘❤️👍🎾💪😘❤️🎾💪😘❤️👍🎾💪😘😚🎾💪😘❤️🎾🌎
All the best Rafa! Lift the Wimbledon trophy in two weeks time 🤞 Vamos 💪💪💪