Rafael Nadal has never played the Croatian Ivan Dodic before.
Although unseeded, let’s not count out the chances of the world ATP 56th seed however – he has beaten tournament No. 3 seed Robin Soderling, No. 15 seed Milos Raonic, as well as Feliciano Lopez to get this far, and will play with nothing to lose against Rafa.
Below are the best links for free TV streams over internet that we could find in our wide scan and evaluation of available sources.
Monte-Carlo – Rolex Masters – Live Tennis on TV Streams (Free)
Rafael Nadal vs Ivan Dodig, Saturday, not before 4pm local time (2pm GMT)
Option 1 – Monte-Carlo Masters Series Tennis – Live TV - English
Option 2 – Monte-Carlo Masters Series Tennis – Live TV
Option 3 – Monte-Carlo Masters Series Tennis – Live TV
If none of these are working, or to find one that works better, do try the listings at Myp2p, RojaDirecta, Atdhe, Fromsport, SPVod.
Feel free to leave a comment to report good or bad links (no registration required).
UPDATE – Match over, Nadal beat Monfils 6-2, 6-2 and progresses to the semifinals
Gael Monfils beat Rafael Nadal once back in 2009 in Qatar (hard court) but has lost on the seven other occasions that they have met. In fact Nadal’s domination has been total, winning all sets played in those seven matches.
So on paper, it should be Nadal in two – let’s see how it plays out.
Below are the best links for free TV streams over internet that we could find in our wide scan and evaluation of available sources.
Monte-Carlo – Rolex Masters – Live Tennis on TV Streams (Free)
Rafael Nadal vs Gael Monfils, Friday from 12:30pm local time (10:30am GMT)
Option 1 – Monte-Carlo Masters Series Tennis – Live TV - English
Option 2 – Monte-Carlo Masters Series Tennis – Live TV - various
UPDATE – Match over, Nadal beat Giraldo 6-3, 6-2 to reach the last eight
Rafael Nadal has played the Colombian twice before, with straight set wins on each occasion.
The match will come on at the completion of the one between David Ferrer and Victor Hanescu – that match is due to start not before 1:30pm local time (11:30 am GMT), so I would expect Rafa to come on earliest 2:3opm (12:30pm GMT) – probably a bit later.
Below are the best links for free TV streams over internet that we could find in our wide scan and evaluation of available sources.
Monte-Carlo – Rolex Masters – Live Tennis on TV Streams (Free)
Rafael Nadal vs Santiago Giraldo, second match of afternoon session, sometime after about 2:30pm (12:30pm GMT)
Option 1 – Monte-Carlo Masters Series Tennis – Live TV - English
Option 2 – Monte-Carlo Masters Series Tennis – Live TV - various
Rafael Nadal has never played his fellow countryman Daniel Gimeno-Traver before, so it will be interesting to see this unfold.
Here’s hoping that Nadal can recover from the two tough matches (semi against Murray and final against Ferrer) in Monte-Carlo to kick off his campaign for a sixth Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell (Godó) title.
Below are the best links for free TV streams over internet that we could find in our wide scan and evaluation of available sources.
Monte-Carlo – Rolex Masters – Live Tennis on TV Streams (Free)
Rafael Nadal vs Daniel Gimeno-Traver, Wednesday 1:30pm local time, 11:30am GMT
Option 1 – Monte-Carlo Masters Series Tennis – Live TV - English
Option 2 – Monte-Carlo Masters Series Tennis – Live TV - various
With his seventh title at Monte Carlo under his belt, Rafa has little time for rest as he prepares for the Godó ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona.
Roger Federer is taking a break, and will reappear for the Mutua Masters 1000 event in Madrid early May.
Nadal has won the Barcelona title five times before, but reluctantly missed it last year. This year he is back to add to a very intensive schedule of three more tournaments in the lead up to the French Open.
Rafa admitted to being more tired than usual during yesterday’s final against David Ferrer – you could tell as he made uncharacteristic errors:
“During the match I was more tired than usual today. But in general it was positive. That’s important because these kinds of matches, like yesterday, like today, improve your condition physically and mentally.”
“It’s negative because you spent a lot of time on court, you have to run a lot on court, it’s always tough for the body. But if you talk about [what it does] mentally and physically, that can help a lot for the rest of the clay season.”
“Indian Wells to Wimbledon is the most [important] part of the season for me. These four or five months are decisive in my season.”
“That’s the calendar. That’s where I have to play my best, where I have to defend a lot of points.”
“Every year I did a fantastic clay court season. I have to try to do it another time. With these four or five tournaments, if I am playing very well, I’m going to have the biggest chances to have enough points to try to be in the top position at the end of the year ranking. That’s the top of my system in general. So I have to try… I am healthy now, so why not?”
Nadal will play the winner of Daniel Gimeno-Traver and Potito Starace in his opening match in Barcelona.
Watch out world, Rafael Nadal is back in training .
Great news given the Davis Cup against Belgium coming up (March 4-6) not to mention the US hard court, clay and grass seasons where he is defending a staggering 7000 points given his amazing run of form in 2010.
The injury dated back to the Australian Open match against Spaniard David Ferrer on Jan. 26, but his doctor Ángel Ruiz Cotorro has since cleared him to return to the court.
“I feel quite good, I am going home to Manacor to begin training on the courts,” Nadal said on his official website. “I am going to start training slowly, following a plan, so that there are no setbacks.”
Rafael Nadal was also recently the guest of honour at the official presentation of “Godo”, the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 2011. Rafa considers this his “home” tournament, and he won it for five straight years to 2009 before missing out last year, choosing to rest from a heavy schedule. But to the joy of organisers I am sure, he will be back in 2011. Let’s hope his body can handle the strain this year…
At the Barcelona press conference, it was interesting to hear Nadal talk of his disappointment about not being able to complete that “Rafa Slam” – 4 Grand Slams in a row to match an achievement last completed back in 11969 by Aussie legend Rod Laver.
“I was crying in the locker room. I [hated that I had] to go out of the tournament. Last year, I had to do it and it was something I didn’t want to repeat. But from the third game I knew I didn’t have a chance to win. David was playing fantastic and I wasn’t able to run enough to rise to the level to beat him.”
After an incomprehensible 11 month drought, Rafa is well and truly back with a vengeance!
And what a way to win – poor Verdasco looked like a struggling amateur on court compared to mighty Rafa in his very best clay court form, hammering home the victory in a ridiculous 6-0, 6-1.
Rafa’s now resting in Mallorca, preparing for Rome after having taking the decision to sit out Godo in Barcelona.
Well, I have to say I am damned pleased that he will take a break – it shows he is learning from last year’s bad experience and will be better prepared for the great events in Rome, Madrid and of course Paris in the coming weeks.
It shows all the signs of being an immense season for him. Should we even dare to dream of four from four?
Rafael Nadal beat David Ferrer to win his fifth consecutive “Godó” trophy, winning in two sets 6-2, 7-5 final.
Congratulations to Rafa – Barcelona is the closest he has to a “home” on the ATP circuit, and to have won these five titles in succession must be a dream come true for him. In fact, in his after match commentary Nadal said:
“I never imagined anything like this. To win again here in Barcelona, in my home club and at such an important tournament is incredible.”
Nadal now moves straight on to Rome, where he will be trying for his fourth Masters Series title, having lost last year to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second set.
Last year it was a seriously bad blister that really knocked him down, but this year he’ll be facing some real challenges on the court too. Djokovic will be aiming to win back the title he won last year, Federer is trying to get back on track, and Andy Murray is charging from fourth and capable of anything.
My pick? Joker-Rafa final, with Nadal to win in three sets.
Rafael Nadal will play in his fifth consecutive “Godo” final, facing fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in a repeat of last year’s final.
In the semis, Rafa overcame Nikolay Davydenko in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2 in just under two hours.
The Mallorcan played an intelligent game, matching his opponents level and raising his rhythm whenever needed. In that way, he saved the only three break points that the Russian got as chances, and showed some better form, though perhaps not yet at his very brutal best.
The final against David Ferrer starts at 16:00 Spanish time. Use one of these links if you want to watch the game over the internet.
Links were updated and checked as the game started. The first two are in South American Spanish, good picture. No English streams seem to be available. Ya tocaba aprender castellano, no?
Melbourne Time
With his seventh title at Monte Carlo under his belt, Rafa has little time for rest as he prepares for the Godó ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona.
.
Comments