[FluffyYellowBall]

Nadal's played his service games really well so far. He won 100% of 1st serve points in the second set and yesterday it was pretty good too. If he plays his service games as well as hes been he can beat Blake, in straight sets maybe. And of course the IW win is huge.

 

[rafa_maniac]

In this form, coming off a win over Blake in IW and with the courts playing slowish, Nadal "should" win this as I see it. I truly hope he does. Something tells me Blake will come out firing keen for revenge, win the first set, and then Nadal will reel him back in. Something like 3-6 6-4 6-2

 

[Sunset of Age]

Rafa in two.

 

[kobulingam]

This surface is slow like IW but Nadal's shot isn't kicking quite as high.
So if Blake plays pretty well he will take it in straights.

 

[Roland9]

I think Rafa is playing much better than he did at IW right now... He should win.

 

[RonE]

It will probably be a three setter like in IW. Look for pigboy to come in the winner.

Still, considering the matchup out of all the players pigboy has faced up until now Blake is the one with the best chance to stop him.

 

[Mansave_75]

I hope Rafa can finally leave on the road easier Blake... I want a two sets win for Rafito.

 

[jonny84]

I am going to go with Nadal for this one in three sets. Probably a scoreline like 6-3 5-7 6-4

 

[anon57]

I think Nadal will win, I'm not sure whether it'll be in 2 or 3 sets though.

 

[stebs]

Close to 50-50 this match but I think Nadal will repeat his IW win in three sets.

 

[FluffyYellowBall]

It will probably be a three setter like in IW. Look for pigboy to come in the winner.

Still, considering the matchup out of all the players pigboy has faced up until now Blake is the one with the best chance to stop him.

We always assume that the top 3 players (was gonna say 4) have easy draws until they meet someone whos beaten them before. Well of course that will be the case if ur name is Federer Nadal or DJokovic. So rafa hasnt been challenged enough is not a factor in the outcome of this match.

 

[BlueSwan]

Nadal in straights. He's playing good tennis now and managed to turn the rivalry around in IW. If Blake is firing on all cylinders he's got what it takes to beat Nadal, but I don't think that's the most likely scenario.

 

[The Pro]

Why is it Nadal always has to face Blake, Youznhy or Berdych during a hardcourt tournament???

I'm not calling this one.

 

[rofe]

I think Nadal is most likely to go out in the SF if Birdman makes it to the SF. If not, he wins the whole thing.

 

[Sunset of Age]

I think Nadal is most likely to go out in the SF if Birdman makes it to the SF. If not, he wins the whole thing.

Fully agree with you here, Berdych (IF he keeps up his current playing level, of course!) seems much more a threat to Rafa than Blake right now.

 

[Shantal]

Why is it Nadal always has to face Blake, Youznhy or Berdych during a hardcourt tournament???

I'm not calling this one.

The last time [before IW] that Blake and Nadal played was in 2006. With Berdych [on hardcorts] it was again in 2006.
The only recent repeat offender is Youznhy, and with recent I mean twice in the last 7 months.


I really hope Rafa wins this. :worship::worship:

 

[Richardgm]

Nadal in 3. Blake has always been a problem for Rafa (minus previous meeting), and Nadal has been on a good playing streak, so he should win.

 

[FluffyYellowBall]

Muzza I still think his win over Birdman in Wimbledon is significant. I dont remeber how Berdych was playing back then but hes not exactly on fire this week. Dunno

 

[Sunset of Age]

Muzza I still think his win over Birdman in Wimbledon is significant. I dont remeber how Berdych was playing back then but hes not exactly on fire this week. Dunno

Well the difference - at least to me - is that Berdych seems to be playing really well right now, which wasn't actually the case in Wimbly. But there is this strange thing with Tomás - one day he's GREAT, the next he can be absolute garbage. I'm actually most surprised that he's been able to play very well for three matches in a row in Miami now . This might mean two things: either he's really on a roll right now, and that might well mean Bad News for Rafa - or he's going to fold again like a wet newspaper when they meat again.
Hope for Rafa - if he makes it past Blake, of course, and if Tomas wins his match tomorrow as well - that the latter scenario will indeed be the case.

 

[Shantal]

I still think his win over Birdman in Wimbledon is significant. I dont remeber how Berdych was playing back then but hes not exactly on fire this week. Dunno

Rafa had two advantages in Wimbledon, the biggest one being his movement on grass, which is better than his movement on hardcort. And the wind, because Berdych hates playing in windy conditions.

But Rafa's level during the last week is better [from the two matches that I have seen] then his playing in Madrid 06, and even then it was a tight match - 6-3 7-6(6).

A lot depends on how they both play tomorrow.