Rafael Nadal vs Gael Monfils, Rafael Nadal, 2017 Australian Open
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - 21/1/17 Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during his Men's singles third round match against Germany's Alexander Zverev. Reuters / Thomas Peter

Rafael Nadal, the 14-time Grand Slam champion, will square off against sixth-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils in the fourth round of the 2017 Australian Open at the Rod Laver Arena on Monday.

Nadal, who turns 31 later this year, is trying to bounce back from a torrid 2016 which began with a first round defeat to Fernando Verdasco at Melbourne Park before upset losses at the French Open and U.S. Open, besides a no-show at Wimbledon due to a wrist injury. The year also saw Nadal not reaching a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time since 2004, fuelling speculation of a possible retirement from the sport.

However, the Spaniard has begun the new year on a positive note, highlighted by a hard-fought five-set victory over German rising star Alexander Zverev in the third round. After that 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 third round victory, many analysts reckon that Nadal is once again playing at an elite level and could be a legitimate threat to win his first Grand Slam title since the 2014 French Open.

With top seeds Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic suffering early upset losses, the tennis world is already salivating at the possibility of a finals showdown between Nadal and Roger Federer, who survived a five-setter against Japan's Kei Nishikori in the fourth round on Sunday. For that dream match-up to come to fruition, Nadal must triumph past the likes of Monfils and third-seeded Milos Raonic, who is expected to breeze past Roberto Bautista Agut in the fourth round later on Monday.

2017 Australian Open: Can Rafael Nadal win his 15th Grand Slam title?

Monfils, who reached the semi-finals of last year's U.S. Open, is in red-hot form, dropping just one set through the first three rounds. However, Nadal holds a 12-2 edge over the Frenchman in head-to-head match-ups and begins as a 1/3 favourite (per BetFair) to surge past Monfils and reach the final 8.

The winner will square off against either Canadian Milos Raonic (3) or Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut (13) in the quarter-finals on Wednesday. When Nadal last faced Monfils at Melbourne Park in 2014, the Spaniard registered a comfortable straight-sets victory (6-1, 6-2, 6-3) on route to a finals loss to Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka.

After beating Zverev on Saturday, Nadal revealed that the addition of former Australian Open champion Carlos Moya has altered training regimen and will hold him in good stead going forward. "Moya has clarity about my playing style. We have played each other a few times and practiced together tons of times. Moya has come with some new exercises. Since Carlos has arrived, we are doing less and doing more specific things," Nadal told El Espanol, via the Tennis Magazine.

Over the last few years, Rafael Nadal has been pressured to move on from Toni Nadal, the player's uncle and head coach, especially in the aftermath of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray finding new coaches. Tennis great Boris Becker had previously noted that 'Uncle Toni' was holding Nadal back.

Rafael Nadal vs Gael Monfils live stream: How to watch

Time: 09:30 (GMT), 7:30 PM (AEST), 8:30 PM (AEDT), 4:30 AM (ET)
On TV: Channel 7, 7TWO and 7mate (Australia), ESPN 2 (USA)
Live Stream: 7 TENNIS app (Australia), Watch ESPN (USA), Official website (Global)

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