Tennis - ATP World Tour – Tagged "Rafael Nadal" – Page 120

Jan 25, 2017

Nadal Tops Raonic To Reach 2017 Australian Open SFs

Watch highlights as Rafael Nadal beats Milos Raonic to reach the 2017 Australian Open semi-finals. Video courtesy Tennis Australia. Getty Images photo.

Jan 25, 2017

Rafa Reaping Rewards Of Perseverance

What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, Rafael Nadal was digesting a shock five-set loss to Fernando Verdasco in the first round of the Australian Open. Today, after a sublime performance that saw him dismiss World No. 3 Milos Raonic in straight sets, Nadal is through to his first Grand Slam semi-final since winning Roland Garros in 2014. It’s been a challenging couple of years for Nadal, whose health and injury struggles contributed to a lack of confidence on the court and on the big stages. He came into the 2017 Australian Open having brought his 2016 campaign to a premature end, following a first-round loss to Viktor Troicki at the Shanghai Rolex Masters in October. Much hard...

Jan 25, 2017

Nadal Tops Raonic, Faces Dimitrov In Australian Open SFs

Rafael Nadal continues to grow in confidence. The ninth seed and 2009 champion reached his fifth Australian Open semi-final – and his first Grand Slam semi-final since 2014 Roland Garros – in stunning fashion on Wednesday night. Nadal avenged his recent loss to Milos Raonic, the third seed, at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, with a 6-4, 7-6(7), 6-4 victory at Melbourne Park over the Canadian in two hours and 44 minutes. His 50th match win at the Grand Slam championship also helped him into the 24th major semi-final of his career. “It is good news - especially beating difficult players: [Gael] Monfils, [Alexander] Zverev and now Raonic," said Nadal. "I think all of them are top players. So...

Jan 24, 2017

Preview: Wednesday's QF Matches

Wednesday's Australian Open quarter-final winners will receive the same prize – a semi-final berth – but just how special that last-four appearance will feel should vary for all four players taking the court on Day 10 Down Under. No. 11 David Goffin (BEL) v. No. 15 Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) FedEx ATP Head2Head: Dimitrov leads 1-0 For Goffin and Dimitrov, the next round is almost brand-new territory. Bulgaria's Dimitrov has reached the semi-finals at a Grand Slam only one prior time – 2014 Wimbledon. Goffin will be going for his first semi-final showing. The Belgian fell during his only other Grand Slam quarter-final appearance, 2016 Roland Garros. Dimitrov won their only prior FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, a four-set win that also...

Jan 23, 2017

Nadal Battles Monfils, Now For Raonic In Melbourne SFs

Rafael Nadal recorded his fifth straight victory – and 13th win overall in 15 meetings – against Gael Monfils at the Australian Open in just under three hours on Monday night for a place in his 30th Grand Slam championship quarter-final. Ninth seed Nadal, who beat Roger Federer for the 2009 title, improved to 49-10 at Melbourne Park with a 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory over fellow 30-year-old Monfils, the No. 6 seed from France. The 30 year old’s win denied Monfils his 250th tour-level match win on hard courts and gave the Spanish superstar his first Grand Slam victory over a player in the Top 10 of the Emirates ATP Rankings since beating then No. 2-ranked Novak Djokovic in...