Rafael Nadal reaches ATP Finals semis after beating defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in group-stage showdown

Rafael Nadal grinded out a crucial 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas to secure his place in the semi-finals of ATP Finals this weekend.

The Spaniard’s victory means he finishes second behind Dominic Thiem in Group London 2020, while defending champion Tsitsipas is eliminated from the season-ending tournament.

The match was very evenly poised in the early stages as both players controlled their own service games.

However, the Greek was first to falter as a double fault on break point at 4-4 gifted Nadal the first break of the match.

The Spaniard duly then served out the set to take control of the match.

However, Tsitsipas showed the grit of a champion saving a break point in the first game of the second set as Nadal threatened to run away with the match.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion continued to probe the Greek’s service games without being able to find the killer blow though.

Instead, Tsitsipas was able to capitilise on his opponent’s first sloppy service game – late in the second set – as the world No 6 brought up two set points at 5-4. Nadal returned the favour given to him in the first set by conceding the second after double faulting to see the match now tied at one set apiece.

A trade of breaks then followed but it was Nadal who delivered the decisive blow, breaking Tsitsipas for the second consecutive time to go 2-1 up in the final set. 

Nadal, clearly frustrated at his lapse of concentration in the previous set, then proceeded to get an insurance break of serve before serving the match out to win the set 6-2 and ensure he is on court on Saturday.

Following the match the second seed gave a fair reflection of the game: ‘I think I played quite well for such a long time.

‘That game at 5-4 in the second [set] affected [the match] a little bit. I lost the second [set] and then I was able to have the break in the third [set] earlier, but then he broke me back. I thought I was winning my serves quite comfortably until that moment. After that, everything changed a little bit. I think I started to serve a little bit worse but, in general terms, it [was] a very positive match for me.’

The result means that the 13-time French Open champion will face Daniil Medvedev, the winner of Group Tokyo 1970, in a repeat of the US Open 2019 final. Nadal prevailed in that five set thriller 7–5, 6–3, 5–7, 4–6, 6–4 at Flushing Meadows to win his fourth US Open title and 19th career Grand Slam.

By Sajidur Rahman