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Rafael Nadal is in the semifinals of the 2020 ATP Finals. The Spaniard defeated on Thursday night Stefanos Tsitsipas with 6: 4, 4: 6 and 6: 2.
by Michael Rothschädl
Last edit: November 19, 2020, 11:52 pm
A small final should represent the last group match in the “London 2020” group for both players. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Rafael Nadal, both inferior to Dominic Thiem, decided who will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the ATP Finals and who has to leave early on vacation.
Despite the importance of the match, both players got off to a great start and impressed with powerful attacking play. There were hardly any unforced errors in the opening phase, instead, the winners beat both sides incessantly. After both Nadal and Tsitsipas were able to play their first service games easily, Nadal struck with a score of 3: 3 for the first time when the Greek served. But this was able to disable two break balls.
Nadal with rest at the right time
But he didn’t make it a bit later, Nadal also increased the pressure in the previous year’s winner’s next service game and secured the first break of the game to make it 5: 4 after a double error by Tsitsipas. The Spaniard, who, like against Thiem and Rublev, presented himself impressively sovereign in his own service, should not miss that. After almost exactly 40 minutes, the Mallorcan first round was secured 6: 4 with an ace.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion also extended his dominant performance in the second set and hit a break ball in the first game of the set. Tsitsipas was able to fend off this with an extraordinary cross backhand. Yet another break from the Spaniard only worked after a matter of time, 17 winners with just four unforced errors were at the start of the second set with Nadal.
Tsitsipas comes out of nowhere
But the Greek grew stronger, at least with his own service, and he had his chance. In the tenth game of the set, when the Iberian had to serve against the loss of the set, Tsitsipas had his first two break opportunities. Nadal knew how to defend himself from the first, but the Mallorcan made a double mistake in the second. A third round had to bring the decision.
The sixth number in the world could not take advantage of it. The Greek made a sloppy game in the first game of the deciding set and was immediately punished by Nadal – the Spaniard made the break early. However, this should in no way represent a preliminary decision. Right in the next game it was Tsitsipas who increased the number of punches and got the rebound. In the next game there was the next break, this time Nadal took his opponent’s serve to zero.
Nadal now against Medvedev
That should have been it, at least for a short time, with the breaks. Nadal and Tsitsipas then played their next service games, but when the score was 4: 2, the Greek tripped over his own serve again, finally moving a forehand a few yards on breakball and making the decision. After just over two hours, the Spaniard was able to serve the match a little later.
Rafael Nadal finished second in the preliminary group “London 2020”. This means that the Spaniard will face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals on Saturday, who won the group “Tokyo 1970” after his triumph over Novak Djokovic. For the Spaniard, the O2 Arena in London is nearing its first win in the season finale for the top eight players. One of the very few great titles that the world number two still lacks.
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Nadal Rafael Tsitsipas Stefanos