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LONDON (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal’s hopes of winning the year-end ATP Finals for the first time remain alive after the Spaniard beat defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 4-6 and 6-2 on Thursday.
The last free-for-all match in the London Group had turned into a direct knockout, as both men had lost to Dominic Thiem and defeated Andrey Rublev earlier in the week.
But it was Spaniard Nadal who always seemed to be the most likely winner despite a lapse that allowed Tsitsipas to extend the contest to a decider in a nearly deserted O2 Arena.
After a series of service breaks at the start of the third set, the 34-year-old Nadal showed all his experience to walk away and reach the semifinals for the first time in five years.
As group runners-up behind Austrian Thiem, he will face Daniil Medvedev for a place in the final with the Russian already secured in first place in the Tokyo Group.
World number one Novak Djokovic will face Alexander Zverev on Friday and the winner will play Thiem in the other semi-final.
“Overall, this was a very positive match for me,” said Nadal, who despite winning 20 Grand Slam titles has only two places to show in his previous nine ATP Finals appearances. “Excited to be in the semifinals.”
Nadal was untouchable with his serve in the first set, losing just five points, and the pressure washed over Tsitsipas, who was unable to unleash his attacking game.
SUCCESSIVE ASES
The Greek fought against break points at 3-3 but gave in at 4-4 with a double fault that gave Nadal the opportunity to get the first set, a task he accomplished with successive aces.
Nadal had won his previous 70 matches when he won the first set, so Tsitsipas’ prospects looked bleak, but he received an unexpected lifeline when Nadal struggled to serve at 4-5.
A well-hit backhand earned Tsitsipas a couple of set points out of nowhere and while Nadal saved one with a first serve, he then double-faulted to send the match into a decider.
Tsitsipas immediately dropped serve, but broke Nadal again when the Spaniard scored a backhand. The Greek was unable to take the lead, however, and a loose backhand secured a fourth consecutive service break after just one of the first 19 games.
Nadal then regained his authority to return home.
Tsitsipas, who enjoyed his defining moment here last year when, at age 21, he beat Thiem in the final, was depressed about his performance.
“I fought hard in the second set but very disappointed in the third, I was running and I honestly didn’t know what I was trying to do. I should have been a little smarter,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Rublev beat Thiem 6-2 7-5 to finish his first appearance on a high, earning $ 153,000 for the group win and 200 qualifying points in the process.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, edited by Ed Osmond)
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