A Spanish War will break out Wednesday in the Court Suzanne Lenglen at Roland Garros when countrymen Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer collide in the French Open quarterfinals.
We predicted that Nadal would win his ninth French Open title this year in our preview of the event. But can Ferrer serve up the biggest upset of the tournament?
Don’t miss this huge match up between two Spanish tennis greats. Create a betting account now and read on for a breakdown of all the keys to this quarterfinal showdown.
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Rafael Nadal vs. David Ferrer, Men’s French Open Quarterfinals
Clay court master Rafael Nadal’s quest for a fifth straight title at Roland Garros (and ninth overall) is still very much alive.
[sc:Other240banner ]Nadal gained entry into the quarterfinals via a 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 demolition of Serbian Dusan Lajovic in the fourth round. Apart from punching his ticket to the quarters, Nadal’s victory over Lajovic also underscored his dominance in the French Open. Nadal has now won 32 straight matches at Roland Garros, besting only his own record of 31 consecutive match wins, which was halted by a loss to Robin Soderling back in 2009.
The defending champion will now face compatriot David Ferrer, whom he has beaten in 20 of their last 26 ATP World Tour event encounters. Nadal has also won all three of his matches against Ferrer in the French Open. The first was in 2005 followed by a semifinal and final win in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Betting on David Ferrer
Although David Ferrer has failed to get the better of Nadal in past meetings, he did prevail in their most recent meeting. On Wednesday, he will look to make it two in a row against the world’s no. 1 tennis player.
Ferrer beat Nadal 7-6(1) 6-4 last April in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters. What made that win even better was that he beat Nadal on a clay court, the same surface the defending French Open champion is deemed near unbeatable on.
For Ferrer to claim another win, he has to follow the same game plan that guided him into an upset win over Nadal during their previous encounter. The Spaniard has to be aggressive, knowing that Nadal is still not over his back problems. If he can get the first game, then that will put more pressure on Nadal and more stress on his ailing back. Finding his rhythm early and establishing the pace of the match early will also be vital in beating the defending champ.
Writer’s Prediction
Nadal avenges his recent loss to Ferrer and wins this game in straight sets as a huge -700 favorite.
