Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is the star attraction of the Rio Open 2016 Getty

Spaniard Rafael Nadal takes on Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas in the semi-final of the Rio Open on 20 February, Saturday.

Where to watch

The match is scheduled to start post 9pm GMT. Live coverage of the game is available in UK on Sky Sports 5 and Sky Sports 5 HD. Live scores and real time updates are available on the ATP World Tour's official website.

Overview

In what is a rematch of 2015's quarter-final clash, top seed Rafael Nadal takes on unseeded Pablo Cuevas in the semi-final of the Rio Open. The Spaniard advanced to the semi-finals of the event without hitting a shot, after his opponent Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine, withdrew before the game with a shoulder injury.

Tournament organisers confirmed that Dolgopolov hurt his shoulder in a doubles match on Thursday, meaning that Nadal progressed via a walkover. The former world number one would have welcomed the rest, with his dodgy knees and back, not the same as it was earlier in his career. Nadal will go into this clash as the favourite, and will be looking to win his first title of 2016.

His opponent Pablo Cuevas comes into this game after beating Argentinian Federico Delbonis 6-4, 7-6(4), in a match that was delayed for two hours and thirty minutes. Cuevas, who won the French Open doubles title in 2008, is not very well known for his singles play, and will go into this clash as the underdog, with not many giving him a chance of causing an upset.

Betting Odds (888sport)

  • Rafael Nadal to win: 3/19
  • Pablo Cuevas to win:4

Head-to-Head

The duo have met twice in the past, with Nadal winning both those encounters.

Rio Open History

Nadal and Cuevas faced off in the quarter-final of the 2015 edition, with the former world number one coming out on top, winning that encounter 4-6, 7-5, 6-0.

Rafael Nadal