Rafael Nadal
Nadal and Raonic are meeting for the second time this season with the first coming at the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International which the latter won Getty

Rafael Nadal will take on Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals of the 2017 Australian Open at the Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday (25 January).

Where to watch live

The game is set to start post 9am GMT. Live coverage of the game is available on British Eurosport. Live scores and radio commentary are available on the official site of the Australian Open.

Overview

Rafael Nadal faces the biggest test in his Australian Open campaign thus far when he takes on world number three Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals. The Spaniard has seen off world number six Gael Monfils in the previous round but will face an uphill task against the Canadian, who beat number 13 seed Roberto Bautista Agut in four sets to set up the quarter-final clash.

The duo have already faced each other twice in the run-up to their clash on Wednesday. The first was at an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi at the end of December last year, which the Spaniard won. But the results were reversed when Raonic beat Nadal in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International.

Raonic had a strong 2016 campaign where he won one title, but was consistent throughout the year. He made the semi-finals and a finals of three Masters Series events. In the Grand Slam events, the Canadian made the semi-finals of the Australian Open, and the final at Wimbledon. Despite it being a losing cause, he played one of the best matches of his career in the semi-finals of the season ending ATP World Tour final in London against Andy Murray.

Nadal, on the other hand, is coming back from an injury plagued 2016 season, which saw him win two titles, but miss most of the campaign due to a wrist injury. The 14-time Grand Slam winner cut short his season in October and returned to tour in January in Brisbane. For the first time, Raonic could be the favourite going into the tie against the 2009 Australian Open champion.

Prediction – Raonic to win in four sets

Betting odds (Betfair)

  • Nadal win: 7/10
  • Raonic win: 6/5

Head-to-head

The pair have faced each other eight times in the past with Nadal holding a 6-2 advantage over Raonic. They have already faced each other once this year at the Brisbane International when Raonic won in three sets in the quarter-finals. This is their first meeting at a Grand Slam event.

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