Rafael Nadal’s bid for a sixth Madrid Open is over after he was beaten by Alexander Zverev in the quarter-final. He lost 6-4, 6-4 to the towering German in front of home crowd as he suffered his second clay-court loss of the season. Zverev also won the pair’s two most recent indoor hard-court meetings at the 2019 ATP Finals and last year’s Rolex Paris Masters in straight sets.
After the match, Rafa said:
“I had the match under control at the beginning, playing well for six games, probably playing better than him, than serving for 5-2, I did a disaster, and then another bad game with my serve with 30-love, and then of course facing one of the best players in the world, under these circumstances, with this speed of the court, it’s very difficult to still be confident. Yeah I tried but the serve was difficult to control today, and well done for him.” (via Tennis Majors)
Our champ’s defeat on the Madrid clay comes just three weeks before he bids for a 14th French Open title in Paris.
Probably his worst year. Non mentionable pre clay.
In 2017 he won 3/4 (MC, Barc, Madrid) before the FO, 2018 ditto (MC, Barc, Italy), 2019 SF SF SF before winning Italy. So hes at 2019 stage now, but appears a lot more beatable this year,,,,dunno why.
That too his HC losses (Medvi WTF and Stafanos AO, were from winning positions).
Get it together champ……..recreate 2019. We dont want to see 2015 ever.
Casper Ruud (one of Rafa’s potential opponents) has just pulled out of Rome.
“Roger Federer, the Swiss 20-time Grand Slam champion, recently became an unpaid spokesman for Switzerland Tourism. In a Zoom call from his home in Switzerland’s Graubünden canton, he explained why travelers should visit his country when it reopens.” [Source: NYTimes]
Roger loves hiking and did a lot of it after his knee surgery.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sir David Attenborough! My family loves you.
Wish Rafa would get a proper mental coach!!! He needs one!!!
Rafa is really having it very tough this year. Hope he can face and accepts all his weaknesses and make changes soon!
Good luck!
Love you!
VAMOS pleeeeeeease!
Rushna
Rafa had better get it together from the word go in Rome as he’s got a tricky draw.
Rafa’s potential route to the final
1R Bye
2R Sinner
3R Ruud
QF Zverev
SF Goffin/ Schwartzman
F Djokovic
Zverev beat the worlds two best clay courters in straight sets on successive days. Let’s give him some credit.
Go Rafa in Rome and Paris!
Madrid was not kind to ATP world No. 2 or WTA world No. 1. Meanie Madrid!
😂
Awwww, I gotta blame someone…😬
Mimi, straight talking Ashleigh:
WTA Insider
@WTA_insider
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1h
Barty on the bagel: “She takes the ball out of my court & takes the racquet out of my hand when she serves the way she did in the 1st set.
“I guarantee it won’t be the last time that it happens. I’ll continue to fight and try to find a way back in each and every time.” #MMOPEN
Margo, I understand hahaha. I am ready for Rome. Vamos Rafa💪🍀🎾❤️
A. Sabalenka reminds me of Serena when she was at her peak.
Covid. It has stopped us in our tracks and forced us to re-assess our lives.
What do we value? Whom do we value? How do we survive? Every thinking human must have
questioned his own purpose and motivation. And Rafael Nadal is no different. He wondered if he wanted to play when Spain had been brutally affected-lost lives, lost livelihoods. If you live and play with great passion, you cannot be unaffected. Rafa has stated that he would give up his French Open title if it could have erased Covid. Covid did not lose the match, but it is omnipresent right now. Thiem took some time out earlier in the year for his “brain”. Z wants to prove himself despite the virus. However, Nadal has said, post Madrid, “..the objective before Roland Garros is to go to Rome and win it..” ‘nuff said. Let’s do it. 🎾🍀❤️