Rafael Nadal will start his Australian Open 2022 campaign against American Marcos Giron on Monday. The pair have never met on the tour before.
Date: February 17, 2022
Match time: Rafa is third match on Rod Laver. NOT BEFORE 2 PM AEDT local time / 10 PM EST – New York, Montreal / 3 AM GMT – United Kingdom / 4 AM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy. To convert to your local time, use this website.
World No. 66 Giron had some good results at the tail-end of last season. The American made the semifinals in the Sofia 250 and made the third round at the Paris Masters. However, he made a less than stellar start to 2022, losing in the opening rounds of both the tournaments he competed in.
Since that first appearance at Melbourne Park back in 2004, our champ has reached the final on five occasions, winning it all in 2009, when he famously ousted a tearful Roger Federer in five sets, losing four finals in the time since (2012 and 2019 lost to Novak Djokovic, 2014 lost to Stan Wawrinka, and 2017 lost to Roger Federer).
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Dear Rafa: Today/tomorrow a new path begins. New times are coming, to increase your Legend. Whoever is playing or not, new gen or not, you can get everything, you can reach everything 💚. Still you can. Your Passion, your Fire, your Values, your Principles, your Dreams, your Skills…Everything counts champ!!
Good luck VAMOS RAFA!! 💪🏻💪🏻✨🌊💥🌈⚡🔥
I think Rafa will come on like gangbusters tonight. Motivated in the extreme. Still it’s three sets and Rafa is just coming off being sick for a week. But I know he can do it. Vamos Rafa,!
Can’t wait…have a fantastic tournament!🍀❤️
Vamos Rafa💪
I see that Francisco Roig has now arrived and he was at Rafa’s practice session yesterday. Initially only Moya, Maymo, Costa, Barbadillo and Papa made the trip with him. Then Marc Lopez came in after his COVID recovery. Salva is also there as Munar’s coach but has spent time with team Nadal. He has a really good support group with him.
Now that Deportovic is gone I hope his fans won’t show up to boo Rafa who they are saying should also have been sent home as he didn’t quarantine 14 days. That is factually incorrect. It was not required of him. He always follows all the rules.
Hoping that the Sakkari and Osaka matches are quick ones so we can see Rafa as early as possible.
I don’t believe that Girón will present a serious challenge. It should be a winning start to the tournament for our Champ.
Pauline and Margo,
LOL I showed your posts to my husband, even he was laughing…
Let’s enjoy some tennis. I cooked enough for lunch and dinner.😁
Good luck and Vamos Rafa💪💪💪
Hi guys and Pauline.
Yes, there were lot of people that too much talking talking and bla bla bla. But you are right. Plus, for those that mentioned about him and his self-isolation, well, there is something that they miss/forget: Rafa is vaccinated, and fully vaccinated, and with time, long time ago. So he’s smarter than Dkocovic, and something very important: Rafa has RESPECT. Cause to get the jabsas you know it is not just about one person, it is for the others also. It is about Health & Safety, and crucial: to respect the elders too. About Quaranties, before it was 14 days, later on, some countries like UK or Spain said 1p days. Then, it is simple, so simple: get the jab and travel, play, work, etc… whatever your religion, thoughts, faith. Jesus, more than 100.000 people died in our country, more than 150.000 in UK…All these days, I was thinking: what is the point that Novak, his family, Serbian people don’t understand??. Nevertheless, is over, finally, and with a good ending: JUSTICE and COMMON SENSE 🙏🏻😌
Fantastic tweet:
@IlariaSinHache
“Will Djokovic complete his Disasterclass Grand Slam before he retires?
Australian Open – Deported
French Open – ?
Wimbledon – ?
US Open – Disqualified
Only time will tell.”
🤔😂
Now, now Mimi, you know that he’s the best tennis player in the world when it comes to that kinda stuff 😬
While ND is on his way to Dubai… You my sweet Rafa are on your way to #21….
As we all know…. Rafa has a way of getting better and better with every match and by the time he gets to the quarters he will be ready for the top 10 ….
Tonight during the first set, he needs to stay focused, get comfortable and take it to him right from the beginning.
Good luck!
VAMOS RAFA
Well Djokovid got what he deserved for being a liar! VAMOS RAFA I don’t know if is a advantage just VAMOS good luck 🤞
I’m pleased that Rafa gets to play the first men’s match in the Rod Laver Arena. He deserves that and there’s no better way to bring good feelings back to the ATP side of the tournament.
Vamos!!
Best of luck Rafa!
Bye bye Djokovic.
All the best for tomorrow. Vamos Rafa.
Rafa good luck I’m so happy The Novak is going home this is a good news vamosssssss champ all the best 👍💪❤️🎾👍💪
The saga has finally ended. The judges saw through ND’s smoke screen and ordered him out of Australia.
Djokovic is on his way home. Good luck Rafa!
Rafa should focus on match by match, now that djoko is not playing Zverev in qfs is one obstacle and then Medevdev. Vamos Rafa #21.
Vamos Rafa. I have so much respect for you as person with you dogged perseverance from day one I watched you play nearly 20 years ago