Rafael Nadal vs Denis Shapovalov: Betting on a Long Match

One of the matches of the Rome tournament will be a duel between Rafa Nadal, World No. 4 and Denis Shapovalov, No. 16. The men know each other very well, they have played seven times on different courts, including twice on the clay court in Rome. So far, the score of the confrontation 4:3 in favor of the Spaniard.

It's probably safe to say that Nadal failed in Madrid. However, after the first match against Kecmanovic, many noticed that Rafa was in bad shape. The Spaniard beat Kecmanovic in two sets. In the third round, Nadal had huge problems against the Belgian Goffin. David did not realize four match points. Nadal made it to the next round being on the verge of disaster. After the next game Nadal dropped out of the tournament, losing to his compatriot, Alcaraz in three games. Nadal had a great fight with the prodigy who had won the Masters, but he did not win more than one game. Nadal started in Rome with a very confident win against American John Isner. Their match lasted an hour and 17 minutes, the Spaniard let Isner to win four games.

For Denis, as well as for Rafa, Rome is the second clay tournament of the season. In Madrid Shapovalov outplayed Humbert in two games, but lost to Murray in three sets. The Canadian had already played twice in Rome, beating the Italian Sonego and the Georgian Basilashvili. Denis had to play three games against Sonego and two against the Georgian. The match against the latter lasted an hour and 42 minutes, Denis won the first set 6:4, the second game on a tie-break.

Shapovalov has improved a lot in recent years in the clay game. Nadal, although the clay king, but still far from his best conditions, no matter what anyone says. The Spaniard decimated Isner, but the American and the clay are incongruous. We have no doubt Nadal will play seriously in the round of 16. Last year Shapovalov was close to beating the Spaniard at the Rome Masters. In 2022 the Spaniard and the Canadian gave us a five-set thriller at the Australian Open. 

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