2024 Swedish Open ATP 250 Quarter Finals matchup - Rafael Nadal (SPN) v/s [4] Mariano Navone (ARG)

[Rogibear]

Sounds like Ralph can only win this by grinding and hoping for errors. No gameplan and no confidence to play aggressive

 

[The_Order]

Nice drop shot + lob combo sets up the finish smash at the net and Nadal evens this match a set a piece

 

[tennisjedi]

Nadal digs deep and Rafa takes the 2nd set. Vamos!

 

[Pablo1989]

Look at his passion for celebrating being alive in the quarter-finals of an ATP 250. Pure love for tennis.

 

[Tallawah Tennis]

2 close sets, one apiece. Raffers doing his thing to get it to the decider.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Imagine peak Rafa playing this dude

 

[Paulreedsmith]

Is Nadal setting up a post- tennis career grift selling water bottles?

 

[Rafa the King]

Wish Rafa could teach me to enjoy suffering

 

[GabeT]

Is Nadal setting up a post- tennis career grift selling water bottles?

His OCD seems to be getting worse

 

[GabeT]

The fight is still there

 

[MichaelNadal]

Wish Rafa could teach me to enjoy suffering

Murray might be a better guide lol

 

[jl809]

This is like a WTA match lol. Every service game is an absolute war for both players - Nadal must surely be on track to have his serve broken for the most times ever on clay for him in a Bo3 match. It’s 6 rn and he’s now at deuce again

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

You have to appreciate nadal’s fight. Yeah he not what he was but he still has the same drive and never give up mentality since day 1. Respect!

 

[Hitman]

Is this still going? LOL

Are they trying to break the record for longest best of three on clay or something?

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Murray might be a better guide lol

Rafa is still treating you to that epicness and points of brilliance. Sure he does have the consistency anymore but you still get to see him and especially the banana FH

 

[GabeT]

It feels like a festival of UEs

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

BP Rafa!

 

[Soul_Evisceration]

If Nadal cannot win this tournament with what's left in this Draw and on Clay, he needs to reconsider his choices of whether keep playing or not as all the threats have been taken out.

 

[Move]

Both players suffering now, lots of errors
I think Nadal can suffer more

 

[Nadal15thslam]

Rafa's fh is spectacular when he is aggressive with it.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Rafa breaks!

 

[Kralingen]

Actually really impressed by how Nadal’s standing up to the physicality of this match. This is a true clay court grind and he’s looking the fitter stronger man.

 

[Hitman]

If Nadal cannot win this tournament with what's left in this Draw and on Clay, he needs to reconsider his choices of whether keep playing or not as all the threats have been taken out.

He is 38.

He just wants to play.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Actually really impressed by how Nadal’s standing up to the physicality of this match. This is a true clay court grind and he’s looking the fitter stronger man.

 

[Pablo1989]

Vamos!!

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Actually really impressed by how Nadal’s standing up to the physicality of this match. This is a true clay court grind and he’s looking the fitter stronger man.

It will help down the road. Got to remember this is literally the furthest he’s made it in a tournament in like nearly 2 years.

He hasn’t really had a chance to have a block of matches together because he’s been knocked out early in the few events he has played.

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

There's flashes of the previous brilliance but the confidence to go for it at critical moments is a bit lacking. And sometimes the execution is as well. Just happy to see Nadal play again after a long absence. He doesn't need to do this anymore and is doing it for the love of the sport.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Credit to shorty for handling the high topspin extremely well

 

[Nadal15thslam]

Credit to shorty for handling the high topspin extremely well

He is shorter than others but he's not that short, 178 cm or 5'10"

 

[Hitman]

The match with Djokovic in Madrid 2009 went four hours, the fact we are about 30 minutes away from getting to that again, and Nadal is 38.

LOL

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

The match with Djokovic in Madrid 2009 went four hours, the fact we are about 30 minutes away from getting to that again, and Nadal is 38.

LOL

Nadal always loved a battle. It true to his nature

 

[Hitman]

Nadal always loved a battle. It true to his nature

It feels like coming full circle too!

The old man still has some juice left in him. Impressive to see him put on a marathon.

 

[malbaker86]

If Nadal cannot win this tournament with what's left in this Draw and on Clay, he needs to reconsider his choices of whether keep playing or not as all the threats have been taken out.

Don’t overthink it. Just appreciate seeing him play since it’s rare these days. He’s not winning the Olympics or the USO, but im happy to see him play

 

[tennisjedi]

Nadal djokosmashes the overhead on bp.

 

[Hitman]

Semis are tomorrow, if Nadal wins this, we will get a real good look at his recovery rate after this epic of a match today. How he would bounce back tomorrow.

 

[Soul_Evisceration]

Don’t overthink it. Just appreciate seeing him play since it’s rare these days. He’s not winning the Olympics or the USO, but im happy to see him play

He should win this tournament (at least under normal circumstances he would) and I believe him and Alcaraz could be quite formidable in the Olympics in Doubles.

But you're right, we should enjoy while he's still playing.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Nadal is epic af almost time to watch some 97 WCW

 

[Kralingen]

Ultimately, it’s still Nadal on clay

 

[MichaelNadal]

Ultimately, it’s still Nadal on clay

Like playing me in Super Smash Bros on N64 when I’m Kirby in the dreamland level

 

[buscemi]

Nadal serving for the match at 5-2.

 

[Hitman]

Probably his toughest grind since the first two sets of RG 2022 semi on clay.

 

[buscemi]

Nadal serving for the match at 5-2.

And promptly gets broken.

 

[Hitman]

Rafa simply doesn't want it the easy way, does he?

 

[Rafa the King]

Ffs Rafa, just keep the intensity. Don’t go for short points on the Navone serve

 

[buscemi]

Nadal serving for the match at 5-2.

Nadal now serving for the match at 5-4.

 

[Hitman]

5-4

This match has been a heck of a grind, and I missed half of it.

 

[Rafa the King]

He is going to get broken here again if he is going to go for the winning shot early in the point

 

[MichaelNadal]

Time to end it Rafito

 

[Hitman]

This is exhausting. Credit to Nadal at this stage of his career still putting in the work.

 

[WarriorRafa]

Torturous to watch