Match: Rafael Nadal v Gael Monfils
Date: 23 January, Monday
Time: 5:15pm SGT/2:45pm IST/9:45am GMT
Competition: Australian Open 2017
Venue: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park
TV Channel: In Singapore, Fox Sports will provide live TV coverage of the match.
Live Streaming: The match can be watched live online at AO TV Live, Watch ESPN, Tennis Channel Live
Live scores can be found on the tournament's official website.
Overview
Rafael Nadal is coming into his Round of 16 match after playing a marathon third round clash against German teenager Alexander Zverev, which he claimed 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday.
Coming back into the tournament after sustaining a wrist injury, that cut-short his 2016 season, Nadal eased past his first and second round opponents in straight sets. The ninth seed not only looked fit enough to play long matches but clearly wore his opponent mentally and physically in the match against Zverev.
On Monday, the Spaniard will take on his familiar foe Gael Monfils, against whom he has a 12-2 head-to-head advantage, which includes two wins in Grand Slam clashes. However, the French showman has been in good form in the recent past and is seeded three places higher [6] than his opponent.
The 30-year-old is in good shape as well, hitting his trademark slam dunk shots in his straight sets - 6-3, 7-6, 6-4 - win over big-serving Philipp Kohlschreiber. With a solid combination of attack and defence Monfils made light work of his German opponent on Saturday.
The world number six had a good year in 2016, in which he reached the quarter-final in Melbourne and the semi-final in New York later in the year. However, he was not able to clinch a win at the ATP World Tour Finals but has started the 2017 season well with two straight sets victories in his opening rounds.
Nadal believes that he is in for a tough match against his higher-ranked opponent. A lot will also depend on how his body holds up after playing a five-setter on Saturday.
""He had an amazing year last year. He started the season again playing very well. It's going to be a big, big match, a very tough one. I need to play my best," Nadal said, as quoted by SBS.
TV Schedule
Australia: Seven
India: Sony Six
Japan: NHK, WOWOW, Sportsnavi
Malaysia: Fox Sports
US: ESPN
UK: Eurosport
Philippines: Fox Sports
Thailand: Fox Sports
China: CCTV, Guangdong Sports, BTV Sports
France: Eurosport
Spain: Eurosport
