Rafael Nadal’s bid to reach his first Australian Open final since 2014 has gathered momentum following a 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, win over Gael Monfils in the fourth round.
Nadal’s strong start to the match was aided by an erratic and error-prone performance from Monfils. Throughout the first set, the ninth seed won over half of his points due to an error coming from his opponent. Monfils’ tally of three double faults and 17 unforced errors paved the way for Nadal to break early before sealing a 6-3 lead.
Similar to the majority of his career, Monfils is a player that is full of mystery and intrigue. Praised by many for his masterful shot-making on the court, his mental strength has been somewhat of a hot topic. Shortly after losing the first set, Monfils was seen speaking with a tournament officials, but obstructing his mouth to prevent others from hearing what he was saying. The conversation was conducted while Nadal left the court to change.
Hmm, what does Gael #Monfils not want to share with the rest of us? #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/HLEdX8sBrE
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 23 January 2017
The antics of the Frenchman failed to derail Nadal’s surge in the match. Capitalising on another error from his opponent, the Spaniard strolled to a set and break lead. Dropping his break advantage due to some encouraging play from his rival, Nadal restored his dominance immediately with the use of some forceful groundstrokes to move ahead once again. Racing to the two-sets lead, a cross-court forehand from the net was returned out by Monfils.
Glimmers of Monfils’ impressive athleticism, including a 160 km/h forehand winner down the line, finally triggered the competitive rivalry that the Melbourne crowd hoped for. Matching each other game by game, it was Nadal’s turn to buckle as he handed the Frenchman a chance to serve the third set out. Cheered on by fans, Monfils saved a quartet of break points on route to sealing the set with a deep forehand winner into the corner of the court.
— doublefault28 (@doublefault28) 23 January 2017
Facing a resurgent Monfils, warning bells was ringing throughout the Nadal camp. Trailing 2-4 in the fourth set, a lapse in Monfils’ concentration on the court allowed the Spaniard to work his way back into the match, levelling with the help of a double-handed backhand winner. The dramatic momentum change baffled Monfils. Within a ten-minute period, Nadal had gone from nearing a five-set clash to a game away from booking his place in the last eight.
Closing in on the win, Nadal’s first match point was denied by a world-class 165 km/h winner from his rival. There was better fortunes on his second attempt when a Monfils backhand landed out.
Surviving the three hour encounter, the nine-time French Open champion praised his rival during his on-court interview.
“Gael is a special player. He is able to play unbelievable shots. He is one of the most charismatic players on the tour without a doubt. It’s a pleasure seeing him in the top positions of the rankings and it is great news for our sport.” Said Nadal.
Raonic awaits
In the quarter-finals Nadal will play third seed Milos Raonic. The Canadian was pushed to his limits during certain stages of his match against Roberto Bautista Agut, but managed to prevail 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. It was a far from perfect performance from Raonic, who went down 1-5 in the opening set and was broken twice in the second.
“I was very fortunate to get the win today – there were some moments when it wasn’t looking so good,” said Raonic, during an on-court interview. “I was happy that I was able to find a way to pull through. And this atmosphere – especially when the roof closed, the noise stays in a little bit more, so it was great to be here. We live to see another day.”
Raonic was able to turn his fortunes around with the help of 33 aces and 75 winners. Set for a showdown with Nadal on Wednesday, the Canadian is aware that the Spaniard will be seeking tips from Carlos Moya, who recently joined his team. Moya worked with Raonic throughout 2016. Nevertheless, the former world No.1 is cautious about the threat posed by Raonic.
“He beat me a couple week’s ago. It was a tough game and he’s a top player with an amazing serve. I need to be very focused with my serve and wait for opportunities to play aggressively on the returns to have any chance (of winning).” Nadal said of facing Raonic.
Nadal leads Raonic 6-2 in their head-to-head.
