Tag Rafael Nadal

Tennis Today: Perfection-chasing Novak Djokovic backed to surpass Rafael Nadal in GOAT race

In Tennis Today, a former Grand Slam semi-finalist has explained why Novak Djokovic will ultimately surpass Rafael Nadal, and the Serb has explained his outburst of frustration despite dominating Matteo Berrettini on Sunday. What’s on the site Rafael Nadal is due to get his ATP Finals campaign underway today, assuming there is no late withdrawal due to injury. But is he making a mistake by trying to push through it? One of tennis’ top analysts has exclusively told us he just might be. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have, of course, already started their journeys in the tournament, and with very mixed fortunes. Both are positive, though. Roger Federer has described what happened on Sunday as ‘just a hiccup,’ while Djokovic is already looking ahead to their clash on Thursday. Someone else who is looking ahead to what appears to be a very bright future is Jannik Sinner, and you can watch the video highlights of his Next Gen Finals win right here to get an idea about why so many are talking about him. It was a disappointing weekend for Ashleigh Barty and Australia though, who suffered some Fed Cup heartbreak. What’s in the…

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Rapid Rafa: Serve, Play And Win Faster

Francis Roig and Carlos Moya, coaches of Rafael Nadal, maintain straight faces as they joke with Diego Schwartzman on Practice Court 1 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Schwartzman and his coach, Juan Ignacio Chela, are waiting for Nadal to wrap up a training session at 1:02 p.m. — two minutes past the time allotted on the court for Nadal and his team. Schwartzman smiles mischievously as the World No. 2 hits a few more volleys before shaking hands with his quarter-final opponent and finally stepping off the court. Nadal’s coaches exchange hearty hugs with the Argentine before following their charge off the court. It’s a humorous, light-hearted moment that exemplifies the good nature between the sides off the court ahead of Wednesday’s clash at the US Open. On the court, a ruthless Nadal is 7-0 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Schwartzman, including two four-set wins at Grand Slams (Australian Open, Roland Garros) in 2018. The coaches’ joke is also a reference to their pupil’s efficiency at the tournament so far. Nadal’s road to the quarter-finals has been almost impeccable, and the stats reinforce his position as…

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A Long-Awaitedlong Wimbledon Rematch: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

WIMBLEDON, England — The most celebrated rivalry in modern men’s tennis is becoming a habit again. After nearly two years of not playing each other, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will meet for the second time in five weeks when they face off Friday in the Wimbledon semifinals. Federer finished his quarterfinal first on Wednesday, rallying to defeat Kei Nishikori, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, on Centre Court. Nadal joined him soon after, defusing the big serve of the American Sam Querrey to win, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2, on No. 1 Court. Friday’s match will be the 40th meeting for Federer and Nadal, and it will be their first at Wimbledon since 2008 final, which is on nearly every shortlist of tennis’s greatest matches and has inspired books and a documentary. Nadal finished off that five-set classic in near darkness. Flashbulbs were required to chronicle the trophy ceremony on Centre Court. The match was widely viewed as a passing of the torch, the long-dominant Federer, then 26, ceding his spot to the irresistible youth of a 22-year-old Nadal. That was how it had previously worked in men’s tennis: Topple the king and assume the throne. But 11…

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Rafael Nadal makes Wimbledon decision after winning French Open

RAFAEL NADAL says he will not play a warm-up event before Wimbledon next month in a bid to rest before the grass-court event at SW19. Rafael Nadal won his 12th French Open title with a four-set victory over Dominic Thiem in the final. Nadal re-wrote the history books with a 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 victory and has already started thinking about his preparation for Wimbledon – which gets underway on July 1. On Monday, the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart and the Libema Open in s-Hertogenbosch begin and the following week ATP 500 events will be played at Queens and Halle – but Nadal has made a decision regarding his build-up work. In 2018, after winning in Paris, Nadal pulled out of a scheduled apperance at the Fever-Tree Championships and despite no match practice on grass, went on to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon. And speaking to the media after his victory on Sunday, Nadal told reporters he would rather rest than play an event before Wimbledon. He said: “I know I played a great event last year. I have been able to be very close to win another title there. “As everybody knows, I love…

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