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Rafael Nadal vs Marcos Baghdatis: Australian Open live scores

Roar Guru
19th January, 2017
Start Time: 8.30pm (AEDT)
Court: Rod Laver Arena
Head-to-head: Nadal 8-1 Baghdatis
Last meeting: Nadal, 7-6, 6-7, 6-2, Stuttgart 2015
TV: Live, Channel Seven
Betting: Nadal $1.05, Baghdatis $8.50
Rafa Nadal could win his tenth French Open. (AAP Image/Mark Dadswell)
Roar Guru
19th January, 2017
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1574 Reads

A fascinating second-round match-up on Rod Laver Arena sees 2009 Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal play former finalist Marcos Baghdatis. Join The Roar for live scores from 8.30pm (AEDT).

Nadal impressed in his straight-sets victory over Florian Mayer in the opening round but he faces a more formidable opponent tonight in the enigmatic Baghdatis.

At his best, Baghdatis is a dangerous unseeded player that possesses the power required to ask Nadal plenty of questions. The Cypriot will certainly have to raise his game significantly if he hopes to cause a significant upset against an all-time great.

Baghdatis’ record against Nadal is poor, to say the least, losing on eight out of nine occasions. Their only meeting at a Grand Slam, however, was way back in 2006 when Nadal prevailed in straight sets at Wimbledon.

Despite only beating Nadal once in his career, Baghdatis can take heart from the fact that most of his tour matches against the Spaniard have gone the full distance. Obviously Nadal possesses a supreme mental edge over Baghdatis, who is known to fade in and out of matches.

On a fitness level, Baghdatis should have no excuses tonight against Nadal given that his first-round opponent, Mikhail Youzhny, retired hurt in the second set. The former Australian Open finalist thus enters this match-up fresh and must be braced for a war of attrition against Nadal.

Prediction
Although not the intimidating force he once was, Nadal remains a strong favourite to secure passage into the third round. The Spaniard remains a level above Baghdatis because of his sheer tenacity and will to win regardless of the circumstances.

With that said, Baghdatis can cause Nadal trouble if he finds his range with the forehand but anything less and the Spaniard should be too solid en route to the third round.

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Nadal in four sets.

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