US Open 2022, 2nd Round, Thursday, 01.09.2022
Who can stop top favourite Medvedev? If this question is asked on the occasion of the US Open 2022, the name Rafael Nadal immediately comes up. The Spaniard has already won two Grand Slams this year, but is he really fit enough?
In my Fognini Nadal tip, you can find out why I’m going to bet on a few games!
It will be a duel of the oldies, Rafael Nadal and Fabio Fognini will have to agree on that. One is 36, the other 35, promptly I can also see that they have already faced each other 17 times!
If I start my analysis with the direct comparison, 13:4 for Nadal sounds pretty clear. The last time they met was at the Australian Open in 2022, where the Spaniard won clearly without losing a set.
But: The only encounter that ever took place at the US Open was in 2015 with the following result: 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 for Fognini – what a strong comeback! Would he be capable of such a comeback today, seven years later?
1.05 to 11.00 on average, the German betting providers have clearly positioned themselves. Nadal will have to stretch himself if he wants to reach the next round. To start with, he surprisingly lost the first set against Rinky Hiijikata 4-6.
It was only a short wobble, as the record Grand Slam champion then rallied to win 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. He only allowed one break, which is exactly what led to the loss of the first set.
Nevertheless, a bit of caution is always called for with Nadal. After the pain became too much at Wimbledon, he cancelled his semi-final. He took a short break before returning in Cincinnati.
In the first round he lost 6-7, 6-4, 3-6 to Borna Coric. In the last 18 years, the veteran has been eliminated early only once: in 2015, when Fognini, of all people, was the culprit!
So history certainly gives the Italian a chance to perhaps pull off a little surprise. Fognini has fallen to 60th place and was almost eliminated in the 1st round.
1-6, 5-7 was the score against Aslan Karatsev when Fognini shook himself for a moment and was able to ignite the turbo. 6-4, 6-1, 6-4, he turned the match around and deservedly cheered. If he can advance to the third round, it would be his greatest success since the round of 16 in 2015.
We remember: Rafael Nadal was also beaten then! Why was he already on the brink of elimination against Karatsev? Among other things, because he made a whopping 15 double faults.
However, even Fognini’s biggest supporters cannot report that he is in good form. In Belgrade, he managed to win two matches in the main draw for the last time – and that was at the end of April!
Lately, he has been concentrating a lot on doubles, and in New York, too, he is devoting himself to the doubles load again. Should it work out against the great Rafael Nadal, of all people, to finally cheer twice again?
My Fognini Nadal Tip
Rafael Nadal quickly put away the brief shock of losing the Round 1 set, but now his opponent is much stronger. Fabio Fognini’s comeback at the start also impressed.
The history between the two players is long, 2015 brought the big surprise at the US Open. My favourite on Thursday is undoubtedly the Spaniard, but you should never underestimate Fognini.
Nadal’s partial lack of fitness gives all opponents the chance to win at least one set. In any case, I believe that Fognini will hold his own as well as possible and therefore I’m betting on him:
We see more than 27.5 games!
