World No.34 Stan Wawrinka will play second seed Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinal of the Mutua Madrid Open on Friday, May 10, at 9.30 pm local time (20.30 pm BST). You can find the Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal live streaming options, preview and predictions here.
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Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal Head to Head
Wawrinka and Nadal have played each other 20 times. The Spaniard has triumphed in 17 meetings. The Swiss, on the other hand has won three times with one of the victories being at the Italian Open in 2015, the same year he won his first French Open title.
Wawrinka Looking in Fine Spirits
Stan Wawrinka is yet to drop a set this week and collected his fourth win of his clay-court season courtesy of an excellent straight sets win over Kei Nishikori.
Since reaching the final of the Madrid Open in 2013, Wawrinka would win only once in his next five visits until this year. The Swiss had undergone double knee surgery after Wimbledon in 2017 and took the rest of that year to rehabilitate. He suffered a stuttering 2018 season in which he finished at No.66 in the rankings.
This year Wawrinka has compiled a win-loss 15-8 record following that victory over Nishikori. He finished runner-up in Rotterdam and semifinal in Doha and Acapulco respectively. Earlier this week, he explained that he is desperately seeking a major scalp and a big tournament win.
Given that this is his second quarterfinal appearance in Madrid and the quality of the opposition that lies ahead, could the scenario be any better for ‘Stan The Man’ to produce an unlikely upset?
Nadal Wary Of Dangerous Wawrinka
Not since 2015 had Rafael Nadal arrived in Madrid without a title win in either Monte Carlo or Barcelona. In fact it was in that same season when Nadal also failed to capture any of the clay-court titles also in Madrid, Rome and his beloved Roland Garros. That same year, Wawrinka inflicted one of the Spaniards painful defeats in Rome when he held multiple set points in the first set before losing out 7-6 6-2.
That ultimately proved the final throw of the dice as Nadal recorded his worst year on tour in a decade. He was coming from a series of injuries and dropped out of top five in the rankings.
There are a few similarities between his uncharacteristically underwhelming 2019 season and that 2015 season in which he failed to win any clay-court tournament. Nadal came back from ankle injury to compete at this year’s Australian Open where he reached the final losing out to World No.1 Novak Djokovic in straight sets. That remains to be the Spaniard’s best result in 2019.
He failed to defend his titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, and there are suggestions his time as the Undisputed King of Clay could be coming to an end. But is it too soon for people to make such bold claims for one of the game’s greats?
Wawrinka v Nadal Predictions & Tips
Wawrinka is one of few players on tour who can hit through Nadal on any court. If you combine that with Nadal’s record in Madrid where conditions do not greatly suit his playing style due to high altitude, then the Swiss has an even better chance. Wawrinka could really stretch Nadal here.
Tip: Three sets in the match: 6/4 (888Sport)
The Wawrinka v Nadal match can be watched live with Unibet here on May 10, 2019. Also get the latest tennis tips and predictions here.
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