Rafael Nadal will lock horns with Denis Shapovalov in the Round of 16 at the Italian Open 2022 on Thursday, May 12th.
Italian Open 2022: Rafael Nadal’s performances so far ahead of clash vs Denis Shapovalov
Rafael Nadal began the defense of his Italian Open crown with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 win over John Isner on Wednesday. The 21-time Grand Slam winner will now be looking for his first title on clay this season. Nadal has already claimed three titles this year, including the Australian Open, but had been out of action for a while due to a rib injury. He played his first tournament on clay this year at the Madrid Open but lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
Italian Open 2022 Preview: Denis Shapovalov’s performances so far ahead of clash vs Rafael Nadal
Shapovalov has had a rather impressive 2022 so far, having won 15 out of 23 matches this year. The Canadian began his Italian Open campaign with a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6(5) win over Nikoloz Basilashvili on Wednesday. He will now face a stern challenge in the form of Nadal at the Italian capital.
Match Details:
| Date | Thursday, 12th May |
| Court type | Outdoor clay court |
| Watch | ATP tour official website/ Tennis TV |
| Start time | 10:30 PM IST |
| Venue | Foro Italico |
| Match details | Round of 16 match |
Head to Head and Predictions
Nadal and Shapovalov have faced each other six times in the past. However, the Spaniard leads the H2H record 4-1.
Given that Nadal’s gameplay is well-suited to clay, he is more comfortable than Shapovalov. Our prediction is a win in two sets for Nadal.
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