Melbourne Summer Set 1 2022: Rafael Nadal vs Tallon Griekspoor preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (1) Rafael Nadal vs Tallon Griekspoor
Date: 7 January 2022
Tournament: Melbourne Summer Set 1, 2022
Round: Quarterfinal
Venue: Melbourne, Australia
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $521,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Rafael Nadal vs Tallon Griekspoor preview
Top seed Rafael Nadal takes on Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Melbourne Summer Set on Friday.
The Spaniard made a winning return to singles tennis on Thursday with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Ricardo Berankis. Nadal had been away from the courts for four months due to a chronic foot injury.
The 35-year-old will be looking to get some matches under his belt ahead of the Australian Open, where he'll be targeting a record 21st Grand Slam title.
Tallon Griekspoor comes into the 2022 season in solid form. The Dutch player won five Challenger titles back-to-back at the end of last year, defeating the likes of Fernando Verdasco, Stefano Travaglia and Feliciano Lopez.
The 25-year-old upset seventh seed Dominik Koepfer in straight sets in his Melbourne opener and then overcame home favorite Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the second round.
Rafael Nadal vs Tallon Griekspoor head-to-head
The quarterfinal encounter in Melbourne is the first match between Rafael Nadal and Tallon Griekspoor, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Rafael Nadal vs Tallon Griekspoor prediction
Rafael Nadal comes into the encounter against Tallon Griekspoor as the overwhelming favorite despite being rusty after recovering from his foot injury.
The Spaniard fared well in his opening match against Berankis, maintaining plenty of rhythm from the baseline and staying solid on serve. Nadal's aggressive return strategy paid off too as he broke serve five times during the match.
In Griekspoor, Nadal comes up against a much bigger test. The Dutchman is currently on a 28-match winning streak and has plenty of momentum coming into the match. His court coverage and ability to stay in the rallies could prove to be a problem for the 35-year-old.
Nadal should fare well on a surface that offers plenty of bounce. The Spaniard's overall strengths outweigh those of his opponent's. Given his form on Thursday, he should prevail.
Prediction: Rafael Nadal to win in three sets.
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