Rocket-heeled Rafa Nadal's bid for a fourth consecutive Grand Slam gained pace on Thursday with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 demolition of hapless American qualifier Ryan Sweeting at the Australian Open.
The 32-year-old, who was ousted in the fourth round at the All England Club last year, will play ATP NextGen Finals winner Chung Hyeon on Wednesday and Frenchman Lucas Pouille, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2016, on Friday.
Former world number one Rafa Nadal withdrew suddenly from the doubles at the Brazil Open on Wednesday because of what organisers said was a desire to preserve his strength for the singles competition.
World number one Novak Djokovic and number two Rafa Nadal set up a mouth-watering men's singles final at the US Open with victories in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.
Rafa Nadal swapped clay for grass on Wednesday but the result was just as emphatic with the world number one overpowering Australia's Matthew Ebden at the Queen's Club championships on a chilly evening in west London.
Clay master Rafa Nadal tamed big-serving American John Isner 7-5, 6-4 to claim a place in the last eight of the Madrid Open on Thursday and was joined by Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
Fourth seed Rafa Nadal was stunned by Serb Viktor Troicki in an upset-filled Shanghai Masters second round on Wednesday while Andy Murray breezed past American Steve Johnson and Nick Kyrgios slumped to a listless defeat. Troicki, ranked 31st in the world, overcame Nadal 6-3 7-6(3) in an hour and 34 minutes to secure his first ever victory in five previous attempts against the 14-time grand slam winner. The unseeded Serb broke twice to seal the opening set before Nadal came back strongly in the second. The Spaniard saved a match point at 5-4 down but was defeated in the tiebreak.
World number one Rafa Nadal set up the prospect of another mouthwatering claycourt final against Novak Djokovic after beating Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-1 in the Rome Masters semi-finals on Saturday.
Following a hip surgery, Rafael Nadal's season is all but over.
World number two Rafa Nadal scraped into the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open after beating fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 in a fierce battle on Thursday but his rivals all had comfortable paths into the last eight.
Rafa Nadal came from behind to topple great rival Roger Federer 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 on Thursday in an enthralling Australian Open semi-final of the highest quality.
Only the familiar figure of Spain's Rafa Nadal now stands between Roger Federer and his seemingly inevitable march to tennis immortality.
With his hopes of a French Open final fading, Novak Djokovic even requested to have the Chatrier Court surfaced hosed down as he withered in the face of a Rafa Nadal firestorm on Friday.
Roger Federer staked his claim as one of the favourites for the Australian Open title later this month by romping into the second round of the Qatar Open, while rival Rafa Nadal survived a scare in windswept Doha on Tuesday.
Rafa Nadal moved to within one victory of an eighth Barcelona Open title in nine years when he thrashed Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-0 on Saturday to set up a final against fourth-seeded Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro.
Defending champion Rafa Nadal recovered from losing the opening five games against Ernests Gulbis to book his place in the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters on Thursday.
Spain's Rafa Nadal sank to his knees in celebration after beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to win a record seventh French Open title on Monday.
An inspired Nikolay Davydenko beat top seed and World No 2 Rafa Nadal 7-6 6-3 to become the first Shanghai Masters champion on Sunday.
Top seed Rafa Nadal moved into the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Friday when Ivan Ljubicic became the eighth player to retire from the $3.24 million tournament. The Spanish world number two had just evened the match up at 3-6, 6-3 when 30-year-old Ljubicic, who had already had treatment on his left thigh, decided he could no longer continue.
Top seed Rafa Nadal marched into the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters with a thoroughly entertaining 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 victory over American James Blake on Wednesday.
World number two Rafa Nadal stopped Marat Safin's Beijing revival in its tracks on Friday with a clinical 6-3, 6-1 victory to reach the semi-finals of the $6.6-million China Open.
Four-times champion Roger Federer was delighted to welcome back to the ATP Tour his long-time rival Rafa Nadal, a man he could face in the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
Spain's Rafa Nadal and Briton Andy Murray made up for lost time by demolishing their fourth round opponents in straight sets at the US Open on Thursday to remain on course for a blockbuster semi-final showdown.
Tennis World No 2 Rafa Nadal and his uncle Miguel Angel Nadal sold their 10 percent shareholding in Spanish football team Real Mallorca on Monday, the club said in a statement.
Rafael Nadal is hungrier than Roger Federer and is likely to overhaul his Swiss rival's grand slam title tally to become the most decorated player ever, according to former world number one Mats Wilander.
'Obviously Rafa is in great position to finish World No. 1'
Having conquered his anxiety and battled through tough situations, Rafa Nadal won possibly the sweetest of his six French Open titles on Sunday.
Rafa Nadal sealed a record-equalling sixth French Open title with a 7-5, 7-6, 5-7 6-1 win over Roger Federer on Sunday to continue his dominance on clay over his great rival.
Images from Day 13 at the French Open in Paris, on Friday.
World number one Rafa Nadal, searching for his first US Open title, says he has to improve rapidly to have a chance of glory at Flushing Meadows later this month.
Novak Djokovic continued his domination over world number one Rafa Nadal ahead of the French Open by claiming the Rome Masters crown 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to stretch his unbeaten run this year to 37 matches.
Rafa Nadal made sure of retaining his world number one status at the French Open after cruising past Croat Marin Cilic 6-1, 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters on Friday.
World number one Rafa Nadal saved five match points before beating David Nalbandian 3-6 7-6 6-0 in a classic fourth-round encounter at the ATP event in Indian Wells on Wednesday.
World number one Rafa Nadal underlined his crushing dominance on clay when he overwhelmed Spanish compatriot David Ferrer 6-2, 6-4 to win a sixth Barcelona Open title in seven years on Sunday.
Rafa Nadal said playing Roger Federer always brings the best out of him after he bludgeoned his way past the Swiss on Friday to reach the final of the Australian Open.
Rafael Nadal will play at the Australian Open in January
Rafa Nadal urged tournament organisers to make more consistent surfaces for hard court events after easing past American Taylor Dent 6-2, 7-5 to make the third round of the Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday.
It will be the second time Nadal and Del Potro meet at Roland Garros. The previous match up saw the Spaniard beat Del Potro in straight sets in the opening round in 2007.
Images from the matches played at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Rafa Nadal pummelled Croatia's Marin Cilic into submission with a brutish 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 victory to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals on Monday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances