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Rafael Nadal vs Taro Daniel: US Open live scores

1st September, 2017
Start time: Around 10:30am (AEST)
Court: Arthur Ashe Stadium
TV: Live, ESPN
Online: Live, Foxtel app or WatchESPN
Betting: Nadal $1.15, Daniel $9
Overall record: Never played

Rafael Nadal last 10 matches: won 7, lost 3
Taro Daniel last 10 matches: won 3, lost 7
(AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Expert
1st September, 2017
2
1903 Reads

World No.1 Rafael Nadal will aim to continue a stunning 2017 season in the second round of the US Open when he takes on Japan’s Taro Daniel, who has been struggling for form. Join The Roar for live scores from around 10:30am (AEST).

2017 has already been a sensational year for the Spanish legend of the spot. He was in the final at the Australian Open, won the French Open without dropping a set and across all surfaces has won 50 from 59 matches for the season.

It’s returned him to the world No.1, and despite some losses leading up to the final grand slam of the year, he returned to his best in the first round as he marched past Dusan Lajovic.

Nadal never looked troubled in the straight sets demolition job, eventually running out winner to the tune of 7-6, 6-2, 6-2.

It did take Nadal to find his feet at the start of the match, and that’s been a problem on the hard courts. More often than not though, once he has gotten past the early exchanges of the matches, he has been the closest thing to unstoppable on the ATP circuit.

Daniel, on the other hand has been battling his way through the Challenger circuit. Lucky to receive a main draw place to the US Open, he is now ranked well outside the top 100 after early exits in all of his recent tournaments, including Los Cabos and Vancouver.

After spending time on clay after Wimbledon, there would have been a genuine feeling of not being prepared for the hard court season in the Daniel camp, and that showed up when he lost at the second round in Vancouver. He put in an appalling performance, but it shows plenty of heart to turn that around in the first round of the grand slam.

Matched up against Tommy Paul, he took the first set, but then had to fight back from 2 sets to 1 down, eventually taking the match an unconvincing 6-1, 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. The final two sets were outright domination from Daniel, and he will look to take some of that form into the match against Nadal.

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The pair have never faced off before this match.

Prediction
Nadal won’t be challenged here. It’ll be interesting to see if he can get off to a stronger start, because he can’t continually afford to be slow out of the blocks, but regardless, he will do more than enough to see of Daniel.

Nadal in straight sets.

Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of this second round match at the US Open from around 10:30am (AEST) or at the completion of Ons Jabeur versus Coco Vandeweghe and don’t forget to add a comment below.

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