Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal – Round of 16 – Preview & Prediction | 2022 French Open
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THE FACTS
When is Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal on and what time does it start? Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal will take place on Sunday 29th May, 2022 – not before 13:30 (UK)
Where is Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal taking place? Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal will take place at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France
What surface is Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal being played on? Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal will take place on an outdoor clay court
Where can I get tickets for Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal
What channel is Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal on in the UK? Eurosport will be televising major matches so it is worth checking their schedule for Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal
Where can I stream Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal in the UK? discovery+ subscribers can stream Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Rafael Nadal live while the match can be streamed on Eurosport Player and Amazon Prime Video if it is televised
THE LOWDOWN
FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME
World number nine Felix Auger-Aliassime has come a long way from almost losing a poor match to Peruvian qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas in the first round. A straight-sets victory over in-form Filip Krajinovic is a string result on clay, a surface the Canadian is still improving on under the tutelage of supercoach Toni Nadal. Auger-Aliassime won his first ATP title at the Rotterdam Open back in February but nine runners-up placings so far is a stat that suggests he still lacks a killer instinct required to push into the top five, as does his excellent but predictable five-set defeat to Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open earlier this season.
RAFAEL NADAL
World number five Rafael Nadal is through to the second week of Roland-Garros without yet dropping a set after strong performances over Jordan Thompson, Corentin Moutet and a tricky customer in Botic van de Zandschulp. The 13-time Roland-Garros champion has lost just three times in Paris in now 18 appearances; to Robin Soderling in 2009 and Novak Djokovic in 2016 and last season’s epic semi-final. The 35-year-old won a Men’s Singles Grand Slam record-breaking 21st major at the Australian Open back in January but he is yet to win a title on his favoured surface this season after recent injury issues on the clay swing.
THE PREDICTION
It was bound to happen eventually that Rafael Nadal would meet his uncle Toni as an opposition coach after the elder Nadal took Felix Auger-Aliassime under his wing last season. It may feel uncomfortable for the Spaniard but as of yet the thing that might have been most uncomfortable to watch is another devastating flare-up of his recurring foot injury that saw him lose at the Italian Open last time out. As Nadal reaches the business end of the tournament he will do his utmost to win quickly but there has to be an edge to Auger-Aliassime’s game here with Toni Nadal’s guidance. The Canadian lost in straight sets in their only previous meeting in Rome in 2019 and backing Nadal to come through outright, probably in four, seems reasonable here.
