2017 Monte Carlo SF: [4] R. Nadal vs. [10] D. Goffin

Who wins?


  • Total voters
    43

Krish872007

Talk Tennis Guru
First official Tour level meeting between these two. Rafa looking to take another step towards a 10th Title in Monte Carlo, Goffin looking to reach his first Masters Final.

1765226895.jpg
 

TheMusicLover

G.O.A.T.
Voted Nadal in three. Could well be in straights, too.

I just don't believe Goffin having another upset in him, an upset that would be the biggest story of all.
Already very happy for David with his results here in MC, and I'd like to see Rafa grab his #10, so all's well imho.
Too bad I won't be able to watch this match...

And for those who still think Djok would have had any chance against Rafa, I advise you to watch a rerun of his demise against Goffin.
Rafa would have carved minced meat out of current Djok.
 

ojo rojo

Legend
Voted Nadal in three. Could well be in straights, too.

I just don't believe Goffin having another upset in him, an upset that would be the biggest story of all.
Already very happy for David with his results here in MC, and I'd like to see Rafa grab his #10, so all's well imho.
Too bad I won't be able to watch this match...

And for those who still think Djok would have had any chance against Rafa, I advise you to watch a rerun of his demise against Goffin.
Rafa would have carved minced meat out of current Djok.

I'm going to miss the match too unfortunately and I'd certainly be rooting for the Belgique bantamweight.
 

Chanwan

G.O.A.T.
Voted Nadal in three. Could well be in straights, too.

I just don't believe Goffin having another upset in him, an upset that would be the biggest story of all.
Already very happy for David with his results here in MC, and I'd like to see Rafa grab his #10, so all's well imho.
Too bad I won't be able to watch this match...

And for those who still think Djok would have had any chance against Rafa, I advise you to watch a rerun of his demise against Goffin.
Rafa would have carved minced meat out of current Djok.
Don't underestimate what winning 15 straight sets can do to each player's mentality coming into the match. If Rafa is to turn the match-up back in his favor, this is obviously the best place for him to do so, but he doesn't exactly look unbeatable (didn't Diego break him 4 times?).

I'd expect a very close match vs. Rafa and Djoko here, had they played.

I expect Goffin to put up a decent to good fight given what Diego and Kyle managed, but I doubt he can defeat him. His change of direction will trouble Rafa, but I think he lacks the power to force enough errors/hit enough winners. Wouldn't mind being pleasantly surprised though, I give him a 25 % chance.
 
Hopefully Goffin can back up this big win and we can have another tight 3 setter. Goffin could even come out of the blocks fast like he did today, but I predict Nadal will have too much in the end
 

tennis_pro

Bionic Poster
If Goffin plays the same way he did vs Thiem/Djokovic he could upset Nadal.

I think he's gonna play worse and Nadal will take full advantage. Nadal in straight sets with 1 tie-break.
 

chjtennis

G.O.A.T.
Voted Nadal in 3, but Goffin has some chance to win. If Goffin indeed causes an upset here, I hope he wins the whole thing because he will then have beaten Nadal and Djokovic and that will be his career signature win.
 
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ruerooo

Legend
Voted Nadal in three. Could well be in straights, too.

I just don't believe Goffin having another upset in him, an upset that would be the biggest story of all.
Already very happy for David with his results here in MC, and I'd like to see Rafa grab his #10, so all's well imho.
Too bad I won't be able to watch this match...

And for those who still think Djok would have had any chance against Rafa, I advise you to watch a rerun of his demise against Goffin.
Rafa would have carved minced meat out of current Djok.


Do we know what time (Eastern) the match will be on?
 

fundrazer

G.O.A.T.
Voted Nadal in three. Could well be in straights, too.

I just don't believe Goffin having another upset in him, an upset that would be the biggest story of all.
Already very happy for David with his results here in MC, and I'd like to see Rafa grab his #10, so all's well imho.
Too bad I won't be able to watch this match...

And for those who still think Djok would have had any chance against Rafa, I advise you to watch a rerun of his demise against Goffin.
Rafa would have carved minced meat out of current Djok.

I think you're on the money here, but we can hope for the opposite :)
 

fednad

Hall of Fame
Goffin shows up as 5'11" on ATP site.
In matches he looks shorter - at least on TV. He does not come out as over 5'8"

Anyone seen him in real ?
 

ForumMember

Hall of Fame
Goffin is playing very well. Won almost all longer rallies that he got into with Djokovic and that is some statement. Rafa struggled to put away much weaker Schwartzman. So I am going with Belgian in two.
 

zagor

Bionic Poster
Nadal in two I'd say. Easy 1st set, harder 2nd set with breaks of serve on both side he'll clutch in the end. Don't think Goffin has weapons to punch through Nadal's defense on clay (even if it is past his prime Nadal).

Also don't think baseline war with Novak is good preparation for Nadal as one might think because Rafa hits a much heavier ball.

You don't sound too sure Stanity :p

Great avatar man. Got nostalgia tingles just looking at it.
 

fednad

Hall of Fame
Don't underestimate what winning 15 straight sets can do to each player's mentality coming into the match. If Rafa is to turn the match-up back in his favor, this is obviously the best place for him to do so, but he doesn't exactly look unbeatable (didn't Diego break him 4 times?).

I'd expect a very close match vs. Rafa and Djoko here, had they played.

I expect Goffin to put up a decent to good fight given what Diego and Kyle managed, but I doubt he can defeat him. His change of direction will trouble Rafa, but I think he lacks the power to force enough errors/hit enough winners. Wouldn't mind being pleasantly surprised though, I give him a 25 % chance.

Glad someone is talking sense.
Folks here forget what match-up and mental block is all about.
 

Charleneriva

Hall of Fame
Goffin in 2. Should be an easy win.

Yeah. Might very well happen when you play the CCGOAT at his favourite tournament one day after a gruelling fight against another CC Great. Even remember Thiem before that?

You're the one who said Zverev would finish this year as the world no1.

Really, I like the boy but you're not exactly doing him much favour here.
 
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MichaelNadal

Bionic Poster
Nadal in two I'd say. Easy 1st set, harder 2nd set with breaks of serve on both side he'll clutch in the end. Don't think Goffin has weapons to punch through Nadal's defense on clay (even if it is past his prime Nadal).

Also don't think baseline war with Novak is good preparation for Nadal as one might think because Rafa hits a much heavier ball.



Great avatar man. Got nostalgia tingles just looking at it.

The Last Crusade is sooooo underrated. Best Indy movie by far for me personally.
 

cc0509

Talk Tennis Guru
Glad someone is talking sense.
Folks here forget what match-up and mental block is all about.

That too changes as we've seen with Federer vs Nadal. If Nadal and Djokovic would have met in Monte Carlo for me Nadal would have been the favorite this time. Their rivalry has always been up and down. Djokovic has had the massive edge in the past few years but things look a bit different at the moment and Nadal looks better than Djokovic so far in 2017.
 

Sartorius

Hall of Fame
This their first tour match? Count me in the surprised camp.

This might be a good one. Possibly a better test for Nadal, as a well-playing Goffin can do most things slightly better than who Nadal faced so far, and he's more experienced. But Goffin still may not have the firepower to go past him as said before, especially not with Rafa seemingly in his wall-groove lately. Goffin has to red-line in any case.
 

tenisdecente

Hall of Fame
I dont know how many people here dismiss Goffin after seeing both Nadal and the belgian performances yesterday.
Nadal was bullied a lot of time by a powerless player which is not even 1.70m. Goffin was redlining against a 12 slams winner and took it home
This will be a really tight match and I give you a good chance to Goffin for the upset. Probably 40-50% - specially if Nadal plays like yesterday.
Djokovic was defending yesterday peak a-like in some moments of the third set and still Goffin managed to get with a lot of those points.
Dont dismiss David, I think this match will be great
 

Terenigma

G.O.A.T.
Nadal in 2. All credit to Goffin, he is a good player but this is Nadal, on clay. In my experience of watching Goffin, power is one thing he usually lacks and he's going to get bullied all over the court if Nadal shows up in any kind of form.
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
Voted Nadal in three. Could well be in straights, too.

I just don't believe Goffin having another upset in him, an upset that would be the biggest story of all.
Already very happy for David with his results here in MC, and I'd like to see Rafa grab his #10, so all's well imho.
Too bad I won't be able to watch this match...

And for those who still think Djok would have had any chance against Rafa, I advise you to watch a rerun of his demise against Goffin.
Rafa would have carved minced meat out of current Djok.
http%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2Fwp-content%2Fgallery%2Fjoffrey-gifs%2Ftumblr_n402x2wnhl1spiuxqo1_250.gif
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
Voted Nadal in three. Could well be in straights, too.

I just don't believe Goffin having another upset in him, an upset that would be the biggest story of all.
Already very happy for David with his results here in MC, and I'd like to see Rafa grab his #10, so all's well imho.
Too bad I won't be able to watch this match...

And for those who still think Djok would have had any chance against Rafa, I advise you to watch a rerun of his demise against Goffin.
Rafa would have carved minced meat out of current Djok.
I think your analysis is correct except perhaps on the last part. Djokovic's domination of Rafa these last few years wouldn't be an easy thing to shake loose for Rafa. King Joffrey Goffin has a game similar enough to Novak's to stand in for Declinovic here. To my eyes Djokovic found some good form starting in the 2nd set with Goffin. What Goffin did was no joke.o_O He's the real deal on clay this year and he's got a game style that has frustrated Rafa badly in the last few years. Goffin will have as good a chance as Djokovic at taking out Rafa.
joffrey-smile.gif
 

Raindogs

Hall of Fame
Goffin looks like one of those guys who can run all day long but getting virtually no free points on his own serve will surely get to his legs eventually.
 

Wander

Hall of Fame
It will be 3 sets, but I just don't see Goffin beating Nadal. Hopefully a good match though.

E: Of course would be delighted to see Goffin prove me wrong.
 

MasturB

Legend
I'd love for the Bumble Bee to win here. But I have shaky confidence he could close out and win the final.
 
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