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Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev will lock horns in the semifinals of Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, Mexico, on Friday. The matchup comes less than a month after the duo played out a grueling five-set final at the Australian Open
The fourth-seeded Nadal improved his blazing start to the season to 13-0 with a 6-0, 7-6 (5) win over World No. 39 Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Top seed Medvedev, meanwhile, pummeled the 103rd-ranked Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2, 6-3 to race into the last four.
The Abierto Mexicano Telcel is the first tournament since the Australian Open for both players. While Nadal is seeking his 91st career title, the Russian is eyeing his 14th.
Where is Rafael Nadal playing?
The Spanish southpaw is currently playing at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, Mexico, which is an outdoor hardcourt tournament at the ATP 500 level. Nadal is a three-time champion at the event, having lifted the trophy in 2005, 2013 and 2020. He also finished as the runner-up to Sam Querrey in 2017.
Who is Rafael Nadal playing against?
Nadal's opponent Daniil Medvedev is not only the top seed in this tournament but is also set to rise to the pinnacle of the world rankings on Monday. Medvedev will be the first man outside the famed quartet of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to become the top-ranked player since 2004.
The 26-year-old has been on a roll for the past couple of years. He won four titles last year, the biggest of which was the US Open, where he defeated Djokovic in the final.
Medvedev has a 12-2 win-loss record in the current season and is yet to lay his hands on a trophy so far. He hasn't dropped a set in three matches this week at Acapulco, with wins over Benoit Paire, Pablo Andujar and Yoshihito Nishioka.
Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev match schedule
The 21-time Grand Slam champion's semifinal match against top seed Daniil Medvedev is scheduled to start not before 10 pm local time on February 25. It will be the third match of the day at Estadio (Center Court) in Abierto Mexicano Telcel.
Match timing: Not before 10 pm local time/ 4 am GMT/ 11 pm EST/ 9.30 am IST.
Date: 26 February 2022 (UK and India), 25 February 2022 (USA, Canada and Mexico).
Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev streaming details
Viewers from the following countries can catch all the action live on the following channels and sites:
USA: For viewers in the USA, the Tennis Channel will broadcast all the matches.
UK: UK viewers can follow the action on Amazon Prime.
Canada: Fans in Canada can watch the matches on TSN.
Matches will also be streamed on Tennis TV.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
