ATP: Sand court king Rafael Nadal stays on course in the Principality – Thiem waits

Industry leader Rafael Nadal remains on course with his mission “Undécima”. Despite slight problems, the Spaniard defeated the Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 in the round of 16 at Monte Carlo and will now face Dominic Thiem (No. 5) on Friday. Nadal has won five of seven duels with Austria’s number one so far. Most recently, “Rafa” won the semi-final of the French Open 2017 in three sets.

After almost 80 minutes Nadal turned his first match point on the sun-drenched Court Rainier III and celebrated his third victory in the third duel with 21-year-old Khachanov. It is his 14th quarter-final entry in Monaco in series.

The left-hander gets better and better on his beloved red ash and in front of his favourite Grand Slam at the end of May in Paris. In Roland Garros am Bois de Boulogne the clay court king could win his eleventh title. Just like these days in the Principality. The “Undécima” mission is in full swing, although Nadal almost gave up a 4-1 lead against Khachanov when he took the 4-3 re-break.

A real test for the public’s favourite on Friday is the duel against Dominic Thiem, who defeated former world number nine Novak Djokovic from Serbia (No. 9) 6:7 (2:7), 6:2, 6:3 on Thursday. The “Dominator” defeated Nadal 6-4, 6-3 in the round of the last eight at Foro Italico in Rome last May. Thiem scored his first victory against the Manacor bull in Buenos Aires in 2016 – also on clay.

Nadal had only returned to the big stage two weeks ago after his hip flexor injury in the Davis Cup. With victories over Philipp Kohlschreiber and Alexander Zverev, the clay court king played a major part in his quarter-final victory over Germany in Valencia.