Madrid 2024 R64: Nadal vs De Minaur

[Kralingen]

Rafito you beauty

 

[Hitman]

What a point!!!!

4-1 Nadal

 

[mehdimike]

What a pointtt

 

[tennisjedi]

Nadal elevating his level in the tiebreak. Vamos!

 

[Pheasant]

What a rally. Long rally, then Rafa hits a winner with his best BH shot of the day. So clutch!!

 

[ChaelAZ]

4/1 Nadal. Like to see him take the first set...just because then it might go three.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Vintage Rafa there! Great shot

 

[GAS]

Cause he would be better off with a Wimbledon which helps him in the GOAT debate vs a 60,000,0000 clay title? Ok…….

Winning another clay title does NOTHING to help rafas case against Djoker. Absolutely nothing at all. Now a wjmbledon title at 38 sure as hell does

You sir... need to get a life.

 

[Rafa.the.Magnificent]

Freakin’ awesome tennis!

 

[zvelf]

Its very obvious what Nadal expects to accomplish, and I'm sure he'll take a Wimbledon title if he can, but Roland Garros alone gets him to #24 Slams in 2025.
He's got the chance to get slam #23 by winning 2024 RG, putting him within reach of Djokovic's record, and all he has to do is stick around until 2025 RG to win #24 (and #25 if he wins another non-clay slam this year or next year).
Plus he can win TWO gold medals this year, as he said he's playing doubles with Alcaraz.

I'm rooting for Nadal in this match, but someone is totally delusional about his future.

 

[TheGoldenEra1990’s]

Uh, Great Warrior last won W in what, 2010? Dream on..

that’s exactly why he should be focusing on it. Get it was 38 and you will see major runblings on it it being a Goat race again

 

[nolefam_2024]

Demon getting dictated.
Till now Nadal was not able to dictate.

 

[Rosstour]

Interestingly, Rafa clearly just said "COME ON" after that last long point. Not "VAMOS" as is usual custom.

 

[TheGoldenEra1990’s]

You sir... need to get a life.

Thanks for refuting the argument LOL

 

[Hitman]

5-2 Nadal

Almost there now.

 

[nolefam_2024]

5-2 Nadal

Almost there now.

In the FIRST set.

 

[Rafa.the.Magnificent]

What's really sad to me is watching old, crippled Rafa still covering the court 10x faster than I was ever able to do on my best day.

LOL, good one - I feel ya!

 

[ALCARAZWON]

Cause he would be better off with a Wimbledon which helps him in the GOAT debate vs a 60,000,0000 clay title? Ok…….

Winning another clay title does NOTHING to help rafas case against Djoker. Absolutely nothing at all. Now a wjmbledon title at 38 sure as hell does

Hate to break it to you, but tennis will never have a GOAT.
So the debate is utterly worthless, and there is no point winning something to be "GOAT" when nobody will ever be GOAT.
The goal is to win as many slams as possible, and Nadal can get 24 slams by next year if he prioritizes Roland Garros in particular.

 

[tennisjedi]

Rafa unleashed his forehand that point!

 

[Hitman]

6-2 Nadal. Surely he has it now.

 

[Mustard]

4 SPs Nadal.

 

[tennisjedi]

4 set points.

 

[JFK_32]

Its funny how all this Nadal and Djokovic rivals are animals in atp 250 or 500, but where is much more bigger tournament they turn around in little scary dogs

 

[MichaelNadal]

Please keep it up Rafa.

 

[Hitman]

6-4 Nadal

 

[ALCARAZWON]

6-2 MFs.

 

[Hitman]

How did ADM win that point?!

6-5 - One SP to go...

 

[ChaelAZ]

Interesting swapped stats of the two. Nadal has a solid first serve at 73%, but only 66% won. ADM has a 62% first serve and 73% won.

 

[Kralingen]

Amazing set point save even though I hate the rat. From both men really. Rafa’s inside in FH was a winner I was sure

 

[mehdimike]

How did he win that point?!!

 

[Pheasant]

Oh oh. Come on now, Rafa. Don't hand this guy points. Let's wrap this up!

 

[ChaelAZ]

Nadal struggles to close

 

[MeatTornado]

Amazing set point save even though I hate the rat. From both men really. Rafa’s inside in FH was a winner I was sure

Put everything he had into that one. I don't think he was expecting to have to play more shots after it.

 

[Hitman]

6-6

wow

 

[Kralingen]

Rafa is absolutely choking right now. I can’t talk

 

[Pheasant]

Arggggh!!!!

 

[Jonas78]

Nadal throwing away 4 SPs on clay, when you think youve seen it all...

 

[RS]

9-7 Nadal calling it.

 

[tennisjedi]

Nadal having trouble closing out this set.

 

[Mustard]

How did ADM win that point?!

Nadal still acts sometimes like he can wear his opponent down physically, instead of killing points quicker.

 

[BeatlesFan]

6-2 becomes 6 all. Come on, Rafa!!

 

[zvelf]

Damn, Nadal is choking this away. ADM is smart though to pressure the Nadal backhand until the error.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

ADM fighting back well.

 

[Carax]

This is what I get for making fun of De Manure for so long.

 

[Hitman]

What a backhand from Nadal. Holy crap!!!

 

[tennisjedi]

Just barely clipped the line.

 

[ChaelAZ]

Back up

 

[RS]

Beautiful shot.

 

[Hitman]

Finally!!! Nadal just had to do it the hard way, didn't he?

 

[Mustard]

9-7 Nadal calling it.

Well done