RICKY LOOKS @ DJOKOVIC & NADAL TENNIS MATCH UP & THE HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED SEMIFINAL IN MONTE-CARLO

Djokovic, Nadal set up highly-anticipated semifinal in Monte-Carlo

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will be squaring off for the 43rd time in their careers when they collide all too early in the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters semifinals on Saturday afternoon.

 

The head-to-head series stands at 23-19 in favor of Nadal, who is a dominant 14-4 against Djokovic on clay. They have not faced each other since the 2014 French Open final, won by the Spaniard 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4. Djokovic, however, is a much more respectable 4-5 in their last nine clay-court meetings and one of those five losses came in a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3), 9-7 thriller in the 2013 Roland Garros semis. Overall, the Serb has won four of their last five encounters.

 

Comfortably ranked No. 1 in the world, Djokovic has been beating up not just on Nadal in recent times. Everyone his been at his mercy, including 15 consecutive opponents and 28 of 30 during this 2015 campaign. So far in Monte-Carlo, Djokovic has rolled over Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Andreas Haider-Maurer, and Marin Cilic.

 

Nadal cruised past Lucas Pouille before needing three-setters against both John Isner and David Ferrer. Friday’s all-Spanish quarterfinal battle lasted two hours and 44 minutes, longer than the other three quarterfinal matches combined. The word No. 5 is going to be counted out as a result of his modest current form and tough tests the past few days, but he will raise his level when required to the extent that he will make this one competitive–if not outright win it. Nadal’s eight Monte-Carlo titles and 14-4 clay-court record against Djokovic will give him confidence he has not enjoyed since last year’s French Open.

 

“It’s probably the biggest clay-court challenge you can have, playing against Nadal,” Djokovic commented. “I [have] got to prepare myself mentally for that. Other than the mental part, I think physically I’m ready. I’m not exhausted. I haven’t spent too much time on the court. Also, I’m feeling the ball really well. Hopefully, I can perform well. I know that I’m going to need to keep the high level of performance throughout the entire match tomorrow.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The top seeded needed only one hour and five minutes to defeat Cilic. He broke serve five times and saved the only two break points he faced.

 

Nadal, on the the other hand, had to deal with plenty of adversity. He squandered a 3-0, double-break lead in the second set against Ferrer and was hit with three time violations Damien Dumusois–the second two resulting in first serves being taken anyway. Still, Nadal steadied the ship to keep his hopes alive for a ninth triumph in the principality.

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Atp, Monte-Carlo Tennis, Novak Djokovic, Rafa, Ricky Dimon, Tennis

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