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20-time Grand Slam champion and No.2 seed Rafael Nadal stormed his approach into his forty third Main quarterfinal, his 13th alone on the Melbourne Park after he overcame a tough challenger, Fabio Fognini, within the fourth spherical on Monday afternoon. Following his fourth straight-sets win in as many contests thus far on the Australian Open, the Spaniard, who’s chasing his elusive second title down below, will lock horns towards the younger Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas of their quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Tsitsipas, who overcame a stern resistance from Thanasi Kokkinakis in his second-round match, was lucky to obtain a walkover towards an injured Matteo Berrettini within the fourth spherical, because the Italian pulled out owing to an stomach pressure.
Nadal, who didn’t characteristic in any of the ATP Cup ties that preceded the opening Slam of the yr as a result of a stiff decrease again, has been steadily however absolutely returning to his full health as he hopes to clinch his record-breaking 21st profession Main, and thereby overtake Roger Federer within the race for the Grand Slam titles gained by a male tennis participant. The Spaniard was cautious to start out off the blocks originally of the final week, however his relentless opening set towards Fognini within the fourth spherical was a sign that the 2009 Australian Open champion was again to his highest degree.
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Of the all of the Grand Slams, Australian Open has been by the far the Spaniard’s hardest and most painful Main. He misplaced within the finals on 4 situations (2012, 2014, 2017, and 2019) after he beat Federer again in 2009 to document his first laborious courtroom Main.
Whereas Nadal is but to drop a set thus far en path to his quarterfinal conflict, he hasn’t but confronted a stern problem both. Tsitsipas can harm Nadal brutally if the Spaniard reveals any type of weak spot or drop in depth.
Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
The top-to-head document on tour closely favors the Spaniard, as he leads the 22-year-old Greek 6-1 thus far and was the victor on the all of the 4 events when he locked horns towards Tsitsipas on the laborious courts. Of their solely assembly on the Australian Open, Nadal schooled Tsitsipas within the 2019 semifinal, beating the younger Greek 6-2 6-4 6-0. However, two years later, the Greek is a much-improved participant. He has misplaced simply two units in his 5 wins thus far in 2021, and he seems to be in advantageous type heading into the quarterfinal.
Tsitsipas would purpose to defuse Nadal’s heavy forehand along with his flashy down the road single-handed backhand. It could certainly be a spectacle to look at if the younger Greek can present resilience and braveness to match the Spaniard’s depth and unrelenting capability to struggle.
Though Nadal begins as a favourite, the 22-year outdated Greek can draw enormous inspiration from his monumental effort towards Novak Djokovic within the semifinal at Roland Garros just some months in the past, when he threatened to upset the Serb after shedding the primary two units.
So far as Nadal is anxious, he could be properly conscious of the risk that Tsitsipas can pose and as soon as once more would sit up for shorten the factors by counting on his heavy forehand and efficient large serve into the ad-court to Tsitsipas’s backhand in case he finds himself in a precarious place.
A gripping, pulsating, and mouth-watering contest awaits us within the quarterfinal on the Rod Laver Enviornment on Wednesday as Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas face off to seal a semifinal berth within the opening Slam of the yr.
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