Category: Draws

Wimbledon 2018 draw could be good news for Rafael Nadal

On By Rafael Nadal FansIn Draws, Rafael Nadal26 Comments

The Wimbledon draw is out.

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, seeded second, will play Dudi Sela in the first round at Wimbledon. Top seed Roger Federer is on the other side of the draw.

The first seed our champ could face is Italian Marco Cecchinato. Diego Schwartzman or Fabio Fognini could play Rafa in the fourth round, while Juan Martin del Potro or David Goffin are the highest seeds he could square off against in the quarter-finals.

Rafael Nadal beats Matthew Ebden at Hurlingham Club in exhibition match (2)

Photo by Simon Cooper/PA Images via Getty Images

Rafa’s potential route to the final:

  • 1st round: Dudi Sela
  • 2nd round: Mikhail Kukushkin
  • 3rd round: Marco Cecchinato
  • Last 16: Diego Schwartzman
  • Quarter-final: Juan Martin del Potro or David Goffin
  • Semi-final: Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, Novak Djokovic or Nick Kyrgios
  • Final: Roger Federer or Marin Cilic

Wimbledon 2018 projected men’s singles quarterfinals:

  • Roger Federer v Kevin Anderson
  • Marin Cilic v Grigor Dimitrov
  • Dominic Thiem v Alexander Zverev
  • Juan Martin del Potro v Rafael Nadal

Find the full gentlemen’s singles draw HERE.

Rafa reached five finals in as many appearances at Wimbledon from 2006-11, but fell short of QFs in five showings from 2012-17. He 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-toback 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!

Source: Wimbledon

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Roland Garros 2018: Is Rafael Nadal’s draw good or bad?

On By Rafael Nadal FansIn Draws18 Comments

The Roland Garros draw is out. Ten-time champion Rafael Nadal will play in the first round against Alexandr Dolgopolov.

In the second round, he could face Guido Pella or Joao Sousa. An encounter with Richard Gasquet could be on the cards in the third round.

If all goes well for our champion, he could face Canadian hotshot Denis Shapovalov or American Jack Sock in the fourth round. The King of Clay could come up against Kevin Anderson or Diego Schwartzman in the quarters. In the semifinals, he could be seen battling with Juan Martin del Potro or Marin Cilic.

C.Dubreuil / FFT

Rafa’s possible path to an 11th French Open title:

  • Round 1: Alexandr Dolgopolov
  • Round 2: Guido Pella or Joao Sousa
  • Round 3: Richard Gasquet
  • Round 4: Denis Shapovalov
  • Quarter Final: Diego Schwartzman
  • Semi Final: Marin Cilic
  • Final: Alexander Zverev

Roland Garros 2018 projected men’s singles quarterfinals:

  • Rafael Nadal vs Kevin Anderson
  • Marin Cilic vs Juan Martin del Potro
  • David Goffin vs Grigor Dimitrov
  • Alexander Zverev vs Dominic Thiem

Rafa has suffered just two losses in 81 matches at the clay-court Grand Slam championship – to Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the 2009 fourth round and to Novak Djokovic in the 2015 quarter-finals.

The Spanish superstar has a 19-1 clay-court record this year (23-2 overall), which includes 11th titles at both Monte-Carlo (d. Nishikori) and the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell (d. Tsitsipas), in addition to an eighth crown at last week’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia (d. A. Zverev).

GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!

Source: ATP World Tour

Rome Masters Draw 2018: Rafa could reclaim No. 1

On By Rafael Nadal FansIn Articles, Draws26 Comments

The Internaznioli BNL D’Italia, otherwise known as the Rome Masters, draw is out, and here are the results.

Seven-time champion Rafael Nadal is No. 1 seed and has a bye in the first round. In the second round, our champ will play either countryman Fernando Verdasco or Damir Dzumhur.

Rafa could face Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals as he hunts his eighth Rome Masters title. He is in the same side of the draw at the Italian Open as Novak Djokovic.

Photo by David Aliaga/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Rafa’s potential route to the final: 

  • Round 1: Bye
  • Round 2: Fernando Verdasco or Damir Dzumhur
  • Round 16: Tomas Berdych
  • Quarter Final: Dominic Thiem
  • Semi Final: Grigor Dimitrov
  • Final: Alexander Zverev
If the men play to seed the quarter-final line up will be:
  • Rafael Nadal vs Dominic Thiem
  • Grigor Dimitrov vs John Isner
  • Kevin Anderson vs Marin Cilic
  • Juan Martin del Potro vs Alexander Zverev

This will be Rafa’s final clay court tournament before the French Open.

With Dominic Thiem’s upset of Rafa at the Madrid Open, Roger Federer will return to No. 1 in ATP Rankings on 14 May. Rafa would reclaim World No. 1 on 21 May if he wins his 8th title in Rome. (via ATP World Tour)

GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!

Madrid Open Draw 2018: Will Rafael Nadal triumph in Madrid for a sixth time?

On By Rafael Nadal FansIn Draws18 Comments

The draw for the Madrid Open was performed today.

After a first-round bye, Rafael Nadal will face the winner of the match between Gael Monfils and a qualifier. The world No. 1 could face Pablo Carreno Busta in the third round, prior to a quarter-final against last year’s runner-up Dominic Thiem.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Rafa’s potential route to the final:

  • 1st round: Bye
  • 2nd round: Gael Monfils
  • 3rd round: Pablo Carreno Busta or Borna Coric
  • Quarter-final: Dominic Thiem
  • Semi-final: Juan Martin del Potro
  • Final: Alexander Zverev or Grigor Dimitrov
If the men play to seed the quarter-final line up will be:
  • Rafael Nadal vs Dominic Thiem
  • Juan Martin del Potro vs Kevin Anderson
  • David Goffin vs Grigor Dimitrov
  • John Isner vs Alexander Zverev

View Madrid Singles Draw

Rafa is 45-7 lifetime in Madrid, with title runs in 2008, 2010, 2013-14 and 2017, in addition to runner-up finishes in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2015.

GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!

Barcelona Open 2018: Rafael Nadal faces tough draw as Novak Djokovic and Kei Nishikori stand in way of final

On By Rafael Nadal FansIn Draws21 Comments

The draw for the Barcelona tournament is out.

Top-seeded and ten-time champion Rafael Nadal will start his title defence by playing the winner of a match between countryman Roberto Carballes Baena and Andreas Haider-Maurer.

Getty Images

Rafa’s potential route to the final:

  • 1st round: Bye
  • 2nd round: Roberto Carballes Baena or Andreas Haider-Maurer
  • 3rd round: Kei Nishikori
  • Quarter-final: Novak Djokovic
  • Semi-final: David Goffin
  • Final: Grigor Dimitrov
If the men play to seed the quarter-final line up will be:
  • Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic
  • David Goffin vs Roberto Bautista Agut
  • Diego Schwartzman vs Dominic Thiem
  • Pablo Carreno Busta vs Grigor Dimitrov

View Singles Draw

For Rafa this will be his 14th participation at the tournament, where he will play for his 11th title. During Rafa’s 13 appearances in the City of Barcelona, he has compiled a 53-3 record.

The action at the Barcelona Open, an ATP 500 event, begins on Monday.

Vamos Rafa!

Monte Carlo Masters Draw 2018: How tough is Rafael Nadal’s road to victory?

On By Rafael Nadal FansIn Draws25 Comments

The Monte Carlo Rolex Masters draw is out, and thus begins the European clay season. Top seed and 10-time champion Rafael Nadal has a bye in the first round and will face the winner of the match between Aljaz Bedene or a qualifier.

He could face Adrian Mannarino in the third round, prior to a quarter-final against Dominic Thiem or Novak Djokovic.

Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Rafa’s potential route to the final:

  • 1st round: Bye
  • 2nd round: Aljaz Bedene
  • 3rd round: Adrian Mannarino or Karen Khachanov
  • Quarter-final: Dominic Thiem or Novak Djokovic
  • Semi-final: Grigor Dimitrov or David Goffin
  • Final: Marin Cilic or Alexander Zverev
If the men play to seed the quarter-final line up will be:
  • Rafael Nadal vs Dominic Thiem
  • Grigor Dimitrov vs David Goffin
  • Alexander Zverev vs Lucas Pouille
  • Pablo Carreno Busta vs Marin Cilic

View Singles Draw

Rafa has won Monte Carlo Masters ten times including an Open-Era record of eight consecutive titles between 2005-2012. Last year he became the first man in the Open Era to win a single tournament 10 times.

Following his tenth title in Monte Carlo last season, our champ went on to win in Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris.

GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!

Mexican Open Draw 2018: Rafael Nadal Going For Third Acapulco Title

On By Rafael Nadal FansIn Draws12 Comments

The draw for the Mexican Open has been released and Rafael Nadal will face fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the opening round.

The world No. 2 should get through that, and set up a second round meeting with either Thanasi Kokkinakis or qualifier.

Rafa could face last year’s champion Sam Querrey in the quarterfinals.

Iván López

Rafa’s potential route to the final:

  • 1st round: Feliciano Lopez
  • 2nd round: Thanasi Kokkinakis
  • Quarter-final: Sam Querrey
  • Semi-final: Jack Sock or Kevin Anderson
  • Final: Alexander Zverev

Projected quarterfinals:

  • Rafael Nadal vs Sam Querrey
  • Jack Sock vs Kevin Anderson
  • Juan Martin del Potro vs Dominic Thiem
  • John Isner vs Alexander Zverev

The 500-level tournament is played on outdoor hard courts.

Rafa is 14-1 in Acapulco, winning the title twice: first, when it was held on clay in 2005 and then again in 2013. Last year, our champ didn’t drop a set en route to the final, but he was edged by Querrey in the final, 6-3 7-6 (3).

View Singles Draw

GOOD LUCK AND VAMOS RAFA!