Kei Nishikori vs Rafael Nadal Prediction & Betting Tips - Roland Garros

Prediction published on 03/06/2019, 13:13  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 03/06/2019 at 14:13 in Tennis Predictions

Rafael Nadal is chasing a round dozen of French Open titles but knows he needs to be on top form this week. The Spaniard has made it through to the last eight with the loss of only one set and that was to 27th seed David Goffin in the third round. Aside from losing the third set in that match it's been plain sailing for Nadal but he has had to face two qualifiers, so not the hardest of routes to this quarter-final. This match against the seventh seed Kei Nishikori is going to be his toughest match to date and it's possible he may have to beat Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic if he's to win a 12th title at Roland Garros.

Nishikori started the year with a tournament win in Brisbane but hasn't had the best of years since. On clay, he reached the semi-final in Barcelona and the last eight in Rome but is yet to beat a top-ten ranked player this year. His last two matches at Roland Garros have both gone to five sets. In the third round, he beat 31st seed Laslo Djere 8-6 in the final set and another five-setter followed in the fourth round as he got the better of unseeded Benoit Paire winning the final set 7-5. Only once has he been behind on sets, that was in his second-round tie against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Nishikori last beat his opponent at the 2016 Olympics but that was only his second win in their 12 meetings. Nadal can win this match to reach the semi-final in a match that has over 27.5 games.