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Match Details
Fixture: (PR) Rafael Nadal vs (PR) Milos Raonic
Date: March 7, 2024
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
Venue: Indian Wells Tennis Garden, California, US
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize Money: $8,995,555
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel/TC Plus | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Rafael Nadal vs Milos Raonic preview
Twenty-two-time Major champion Rafael Nadal will take on former top-10 player Milos Raonic in the first round of the 2024 BNP Paribas Open on Thursday.
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Nadal returned to action after a year-long injury break at this year's Brisbane International. He made a winning return to the tour as he defeated Dominic Thiem 7-5, 6-1 in the first round. He made light work of Jason Kubler in the next round as he bested him 6-1, 6-2.
Nadal then took on Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals but lost to him in three sets despite having three match points. The Spaniard also injured himself during the match and was forced to skip the Australian Open. He was expected to play in the Qatar Open after that but withdrew from it too.
Nadal recently faced off against Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition match in Las Vegas a few days ago. It was a competitive affair but the younger Spaniard triumphed 3-6, 6-4, 14-12.
Meanwhile, Raonic's first tournament of the year was the Australian Open where he faced Alex de Minaur in his opener. After splitting the first couple of sets, the Canadian was forced to retire in the third set due to an injury.
Raonic then headed to Rotterdam for the ABN AMRO Open. He ousted Jesper de Jong and Alexander Bublik in straight sets to book a quarterfinal showdown against Jannik Sinner. The Canadian lost a close first set in the tie-break, after which an injury setback forced him to retire in the second set.
Rafael Nadal vs Milos Raonic head-to-head
Nadal leads Raonic 8-2 in the head-to-head. The Spaniard won their previous encounter at the 2019 Laver Cup in straight sets.
Rafael Nadal vs Milos Raonic odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Rafael Nadal vs Milos Raonic prediction
Two of the tour's most injured players are now set to face off. Given their history, especially this year, making it through this clash without another injury would be a huge win for both.
Despite his health woes, Raonic's serve is still a massive weapon. He has hit 55 aces across his four matches this year and he didn't even finish two of them, or else the count would have been higher.
Nadal, on the other hand, put up a decent showing during his exhibition match against Alcaraz. However, he later stated that his main goal is to perform well during the clay swing. While the Spaniard's a fierce competitor, there's a possibility that he could avoid overexerting himself here.
Both of Nadal's losses to Raonic have been from a set up. The latter staged one such comeback at Indian Wells back in 2015. The Spaniard's superior record in this rivalry does make him the favorite but it would be unwise to count out the Canadian completely.
Pick: Rafael Nadal to win in three sets.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
