RAFAEL “RAFA” NADAL WINS FOUR-SETTER AGAINST MONFILS, TO FACE RAONIC IN AUSTRALIAN OPEN QUARTERFINALS

Written by: Staff on 23rd January 2017

RAFAEL "RAFA" NADAL WINS FOUR-SETTER AGAINST MONFILS, TO FACE RAONIC IN AUSTRALIAN OPEN QUARTERFINALS

epaselect epa05743992 Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Gael Monfils of France during the Mens Singles round four match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 January 2017. EPA/FILIP SINGER |

Nadal wins four-setter against Monfils, to face Raonic in Australian Open quarterfinals

By Ricky Dimon

Rafael Nadal avoided a second consecutive five-set match by finishing off Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in round four of the Australian Open on Monday night. Nadal, who outlasted Alexander Zverev in five in his previous outing, got the job done after two hours and 55 minutes to book the final men’s quarterfinal spot.

It was a typical Monfils performance, as the Frenchman came out woefully flat, found a second gear to make things competitive, and then collapsed just when it looked like he would force a fifth set. Nadal recovered from a break deficit in the fourth to win the last four games of the match.

Gael Monfils of France in action during the Men’s Singles match against Rafael Nadal of Spain in round four at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 January 2017. EPA/DEAN LEWINS

The 14-time Grand Slam champion struck just 21 winners compared to Monfils’ 52, but he made only 27 unforced errors whereas 64 flew off the Monfils racket.

“For me (it) means a lot because I [have started] the season playing (in the) quarterfinals in a Grand Slam again, especially on a hard court after a couple of years without being in this round,” Nadal commented. “(It) is great news; very happy with an important victory against a very good opponent.”

Milos Raonic of Canada in action against Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain during round four of the Men’s Singles at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 January 2017. EPA/LYNN BO BO

Up next for Nadal is familiar opponent Milos Raonic, who defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Wild momentum swings defined the first and second sets, starting when Raonic battled back from a 5-1 deficit in the opening tiebreaker. The world No. 3 promptly surged to a break lead in the second only to drop serve twice from completely of nowhere. He therefore surrendered the second set but seized control the rest of the way.

“This was up and down,” Raonic assessed. “Most of the match, it was quite inconsistent I think from both of us. I was sort of there on the brink in the end of the third set. then turned it around.”

“I think going to be a tough match for me, for sure,” Nadal said of his upcoming showdown against the Canadian. “Hopefully for him, too. In Brisbane he beat me. But at the same time is true that I have been close. He’s an opponent that make you feel that you’re playing with a lot of pressure all the time because his serve is huge and he’s playing very aggressive from the baseline. But I hope to be ready for it. I need to be very focused with my serve and play aggressive. If I am not playing aggressive, then I am dead.”