What do Federer and Nadal tell about their third final in this year?

"It's definitely going to be very special playing Rafa here again," Federer said. "Hopefully it's not our last match."

"I just thought: 'Eventually it's just going to catch up with me. I already won Indian Wells. So let's be realistic here,'" Federer said. "But here we are in the final, and I get a chance to win the tournament. Still I feel like there is a mountain to climb in Rafa. He's definitely feeling fresher than I feel right now."

"He's playing so good," Nadal said. "When top player like him is playing that well, then it's always a big challenge."

"Winning or losing, being honest, not going to change my career," he said. "It just helps to add something important for me, and that's it."

ROGER FEDERER VS RAFAEL NADAL (13-23)

YEAR	EVENT	SURFACE	RND	WINNER	RESULT
2017	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells
CA, U.S.A.		Outdoor Hard	R16	Roger Federer	62 63
2017	Australian Open
Australia		Outdoor Hard	F	Roger Federer	64 36 61 36 63
2015	Basel
Switzerland		Indoor Hard	F	Roger Federer	63 57 63
2014	Australian Open
Australia		Outdoor Hard	SF	Rafael Nadal	76(4) 63 63
2013	Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
Great Britain		Indoor Hard	SF	Rafael Nadal	75 63
75 63
2013	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati
OH, U.S.A.		Outdoor Hard	QF	Rafael Nadal	57 64 63
2013	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome
Italy		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	61 63
2013	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells
CA, U.S.A.		Outdoor Hard	QF	Rafael Nadal	64 62
2012	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells
CA, U.S.A.		Outdoor Hard	SF	Roger Federer	63 64
2012	Australian Open
Australia		Outdoor Hard	SF	Rafael Nadal	67(5) 62 76(5) 64
2011	Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
Great Britain		Indoor Hard	RR	Roger Federer	63 60
2011	Roland Garros
France		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	75 76(3) 57 61
2011	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid
Spain		Outdoor Clay	SF	Rafael Nadal	57 61 63
2011	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami
FL, U.S.A.		Outdoor Hard	SF	Rafael Nadal	63 62
2010	Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
Great Britain		Indoor Hard	F	Roger Federer	63 36 61
2010	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid
Spain		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	64 76(5)
2009	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid
Spain		Outdoor Clay	F	Roger Federer	64 64
2009	Australian Open
Australia		Outdoor Hard	F	Rafael Nadal	75 36 76(3) 36 62
2008	Wimbledon
Great Britain		Outdoor Grass	F	Rafael Nadal	64 64 67(5) 67(8) 97
2008	Roland Garros
France		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	61 63 60
2008	ATP Masters Series Hamburg
Germany		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	75 67(3) 63
2008	ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo
Monaco		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	75 75
2007	Tennis Masters Cup
China		Indoor Hard	SF	Roger Federer	64 61
2007	Wimbledon
Great Britain		Outdoor Grass	F	Roger Federer	76(7) 46 76(3) 26 62
2007	Roland Garros
France		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	63 46 63 64
2007	ATP Masters Series Hamburg
Germany		Outdoor Clay	F	Roger Federer	26 62 60
2007	ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo
Monaco		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	64 64
2006	Tennis Masters Cup
China		Indoor Hard	SF	Roger Federer	64 75
2006	Wimbledon
Great Britain		Outdoor Grass	F	Roger Federer	60 76(5) 67(2) 63
2006	Roland Garros
France		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	16 61 64 76(4)
2006	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome
Italy		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	67 76(5) 64 26 76(5)
2006	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo
Monaco		Outdoor Clay	F	Rafael Nadal	62 67(2) 63 76(5)
2006	Dubai
U.A.E.		Outdoor Hard	F	Rafael Nadal	26 64 64
2005	Roland Garros
France		Outdoor Clay	SF	Rafael Nadal	63 46 64 63
2005	ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami
FL, U.S.A.		Outdoor Hard	F	Roger Federer	26 67(4) 76(5) 63 61
2004	ATP Masters Series Miami
FL, U.S.A.		Outdoor Hard	R32	Rafael Nadal	63 63

Nadal got an easy win over Fabio Fognini in Semi Final of Miami Open 2017

Rafael Nadal lost only nine points and never faced a break point and pressuring the Italian's serve throughout the 90-minute contest on his own serve in a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Fabio Fognini. He will play in his fifth Miami Open.

Nadal, who will be going for his 29th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, will face either fourth seed Roger Federer who defeated Aussie Nick Kyrgios on the same day.

“It's great to be in the final... For me, doesn't matter the opponent. I am happy to be in that final again, and I am excited to play another final of an important event,” Nadal said.

“Two different matches today. I think first set was no match... Second one, when I was starting to play my tennis, I think he was feeling that I was feeling better and better and a few points were going to decide the match,” Fognini said. “At the end, I think we had a great fight.”

Spain will play quaterfinal vs. Serbia without Nadal and R. Bautista Agut

 

Rafael Nadal will not play in the Davis Cup quarterfinals when Spain faces Serbia next week according to Spain captain Conchita Martinez without reason.

Doctors recommended time off for Nadal because he had played a significant number of matches following a four-month layoff due to a wrist injury.

Spain will be led by world No. 19 Pablo Carreno Busta, who will be joined by Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Marcel Granollers, and doubles specialist Marc Lopez.

Spain will play the hard-court tie against Serbia from April 7-9 in Belgrade. The five-time champion is trying to make the semifinals for the first time since 2012.

Also absent was Spain's second-ranked player, Roberto Bautista Agut. He, who also advanced to the Miami fourth round, withdrew from Indian Wells a few weeks ago because of an abdominal muscle injury.

Rafael Nadal goes into Miami Open semis

Nadal staved off four break points to avoid going down a double-break early in the second set, a pivotal game that set the stage for his 6-2 6-3 victory on the Crandon Park hardcourt.

The No. 5-seeded Nadal artfully eliminated Sock and will next play Fabio Fognini in Friday's semifinals. Nadal has a 7-3 career record but is mindful he lost to the Italian in a five-set thriller on the US Open hardcourt in 2015.

Nadal could face his long-time nemesis Federer in the final, with the Swiss, who has a Thursday quarter-final against Tomas Berdych, on the other side of the draw.

Federer and Nadal have met twice this year, with Federer winning both times, in a memorable five-set final at the Australian Open and in a one-sided straight-sets fourth-round thumping at Indian Wells two weeks ago.