Should Richard Gasquet even show up in his scheduled match with Rafael Nadal today? Gasquet has been treated like a rag doll by Nadal that we’d understand if he’d rather chill in his hotel room instead of making an effort to beat Nadal. Upsets do happen in tennis more often than you realize, though. In another game and in a different sport, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Houston Astros battle in the third match of their four-game series.
Rafael Nadal opens his defense of his title in the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati today against an opponent he’s regularly victimized in his career in Frenchman Richard Gasquet. Nadal has dominated Gasquet for so long it doesn’t even appear to be fair. The Spaniard is 14-1 all-time versus Gasquet. Nadal hasn’t dropped a set to Gasquet since 2008. Gasquet is coming off a 6-4, 6-4 win over John-Patrick Smith in the first round of this tournament.
Writer’s Prediction
Nadal continues his tradition of beating Gasquet with a victory.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Houston Astros (10:10 PM ET)
It’s been over a month now since Taijuan Walker (6-6, 3.76 ERA) last notched a win, as his mound miseries continue following a setback against the Chicago Cubs last Friday, when he gave up four earned runs on five hits in five innings of an 8-3 home loss. Another chance to redeem himself comes Walker’s way later tonight, as he tales on the Astros. Walker, however, is pitching better on the road (4-3, 3.11 ERA) than at home (2-3, 4.42 ERA) this season. Over at the other side, Charlie Morton looks to snag his tenth win of the year after failing to do so in his previous two starts, during which he has allowed six earned runs on 14 hits with 13 strikeouts. In his career so far, Morton is 3-1 with a 3.97 ERA against Arizona.
