TORONTO, CANADA (AFP) - Rafael Nadal withdrew on Tuesday (Aug 10) from the ATP Toronto Masters with the chronic foot injury which has bothered him since Roland Garros and now appears to threaten his US Open chances. Officials said the second-seeded five-time champion will be replaced in the draw by fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. “I’ve had this issue for a couple of months,” said Spain’s Nadal, who skipped both Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics after a French Open semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic. “Of course, it is not a happy situation after all the success that I had here in Canada,” the 35-year-old said. “I need to go back (to Mallorca) and try to find a way to be better again." “The most important thing is to enjoy playing tennis,” he said. “With this pain, I’m not able to enjoy (playing).” Nadal had returned to competition after a two-month layoff with a third-round loss to 50th-ranked South African Lloyd Harris in Washington. After aggravating his foot injury in a second-round win over Jack Sock, he said after his loss to Harris that it had improved. But on Tuesday he said it hindered him too much to allow him to be competitive in Toronto. “I don’t believe that I had chances to fight (in the tournament),” said Nadal, who had a first-round bye. The injury looks likely to lead to a withdrawal from next week’s Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, leaving Nadal’s US Open participation in question. More on this topic Related Story Tennis: Nadal slips out of top three but Olympic champion Bencic up to 11th in rankings Related Story Tennis: Nadal returns from foot injury needing work before US Open
PARIS (AFP) - Rafael Nadal slipped out of the top three in the new ATP rankings released on Monday (Aug 9), while Jannik Sinner, who won the Washington tournament at the weekend, jumped nine places to 15th. Olympic women's tennis champion Belinda Bencic, meanwhile, climbed one place in the latest WTA rankings but the Swiss remains one place outside the top 10. Czech Marketa Vondrousova, who collected silver, remains at 42nd while bronze medallist Elina Svitolina of Ukraine also moved up one place to No. 5. Spanish 20-time Grand Slam winner Nadal lost to Lloyd Harris in the round of 16 in Washington to find himself dropping one place to No. 4 with the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas replacing him at No. 3. Novak Djokovic stays top, with Russian Daniil Medvedev second. Italian teenager Sinner, who beat the American Mackenzie McDonald in three sets in Washington, climbs from 24th into the higher realms of the game's elite. Sinner, who turns 20 only on Aug 16, is the youngest player to win an ATP 500 tournament since the category was created in 2009. By reaching the final, McDonald also enjoyed a dramatic leap from 107th to 64th. Djokovic, who has won all three majors this year and has his eyes firmly set on completing the sweep with another success at the US Open, remains comfortably at No. 1. The Serb has now spent a record 333 weeks in top spot, well ahead of next-best Roger Federer, who managed 310 and is now down at No. 9. The biggest faller among the women was Canadian Bianca Andreescu, who slipped three places from fifth to eighth. Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty continues to dominate at the top even though she has not played since her early elimination in Tokyo at the end of July. Long-time No. 1 Serena Williams dropped four places to 20th. More on this topic Related Story It's like playing a wall: Baghdatis remembers Nadal Related Story Tennis: Djokovic defeats 13-time champion Nadal in epic French Open semi-final Fellow American Danielle Collins moved up eight spots to 28th following her win in San Jose at the Silicon Valley Classic on Sunday, while Germany's Andrea Petkovic, who picked up her first WTA title since 2015 in Cluj, jumped 23 places to 68th. Losing finalist, Egyptian Mayar Sherif, gained 22 places and entered the top 100 for the first time at 97th. Meanwhile, Nadal will count upon day-to-day improvement for a long-term foot injury if he is to fight for the title at this week's ATP Toronto Masters. He has won five Canadian titles, including the 2018 and 2019 editions. The event was not held in 2020 due to Covid-19. The 35-year-old Spaniard remains concerned about a long-term foot injury that flared up at Roland Garros in May and kept him away from Wimbledon and the Olympics. “It has been a couple of tough months for me with physical issues,” he said on Sunday ahead of his most successful hard-court stop. More on this topic Related Story Sporting Life: People stay up for Rafa Nadal as he gives everything Related Story Tennis: Nadal overcomes blip to scythe down Djokovic in Rome final Nadal, the second seed, won his comeback match on Wednesday (Aug 4) in Washington but would open in Toronto against 50th-ranked Lloyd Harris, who eliminated him at the US capital, if the South African beats qualifier Brayden Schnur of Canada in his opener. “I’m not at a peak but I’m training better here than in Washington,” he said. “I’m excited to keep going here and play a little better – I want to compete well.” Olympic quarter-finalist Medvedev heads a depleted field at an event which is missing two of the “Big 3” players. With Djokovic giving the week a miss after his frustrating medal-less performance at Tokyo and Roger Federer still out with his lingering knee problems, Medvedev and Nadal head the seedings.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Rafael Nadal returns from a foot injury layoff of nearly two months this week at Washington, trying to rebuild top form ahead of the US Open. The 35-year-old Spanish left-hander, who shares the all-time men's record of 20 Grand Slam titles with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, makes his US capital debut on Wednesday after a first-round bye at the ATP Citi Open. "I'm excited," Nadal said Sunday (Aug 1). "I need to find again the level of tennis I need to be competitive. I hope to be able to find that in Washington. If not, hopefully in the next few weeks." World number three Nadal skipped Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics after taking three weeks off to heal after losing to Djokovic in a French Open semi-final. "My body decided for myself. If I had to choose, I will never miss Wimbledon and Olympics, but I was not able to compete in these events," Nadal said. "I had some issues with my foot. I had to stop playing tennis for 20 days. Then I start practising, half an hour, then a little bit more. I went through the whole process. "When I saw the calendar, I saw Washington as my goal and here I am. Missing Wimbledon, that was the right thing to do I think. The decision was the right one." Nadal, seeking his 89th tour-level title on Washington's hardcourts, has spent the past month rebuilding his fitness but needs matches to make his next breakthroughs with the US Open in New York only four weeks away. "I'm quite good," Nadal said of his physical condition. "I've been practising well at home but I need some competitive practices and to play some sets. "I don't know how long it will take to recover everything. I'm here to try my best in every single moment." When the Flushing Meadows fortnight arrives, Nadal will be seen as one of the few who might deny top-ranked Djokovic a calendar year Grand Slam after the Serbian star's wins at the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon. "When you win three, you can win four. He'll be playing on hard court, his best surface, so why not?" Nadal said. "There will be other guys that want to achieve the last Slam of the season but he's probably the most favored player to achieve that, to achieve something amazing. "I really believe he can do it without a doubt." Nadal workouts popular Nadal, who drew crowds in the main stadium for weekend practice sessions, is happy to play in front of a full capacity US venue for the first time since his 2019 US Open triumph. "I'm excited to be back playing in America after more than a year of not playing here, especially with a full stadium we've not seen in such a long time," he said. "It's a great feeling and I'm really happy about it." In his first match, Nadal will face either US wildcard Jack Sock or Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka. He could meet British seventh seed Cameron Norrie in the quarter-finals. More on this topic Related Story Tennis: Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon and Tokyo Olympics Related Story It's like playing a wall: Baghdatis remembers Nadal At the US Open, Nadal, 23-4 this year with titles on clay in Barcelona and Rome, will attempt to capture a fifth career crown and his 21st career Slam trophy, which would give him the all-time lead for the first time in his career. The Spanish star has completed a career Grand Slam with a 2009 Australian Open title, Wimbledon crowns in 2008 and 2010 plus US Open trophies in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019 and a record 13 French Open titles. Full capacity seating will be allowed this year at Washington after last year's event was wiped out due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
PARIS (AFP) - Novak Djokovic handed 13-time champion Rafael Nadal only his third defeat in 16 years and 108 matches at the French Open on Friday (June 11) to reach his sixth Roland Garros final in an epic showdown which even beat the country’s Covid-19 curfew. In their 58th career clash, Djokovic triumphed 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 and stays on course to capture a 19th major and become the first man in over 50 years to win all four Slams twice. Djokovic, the 2016 champion in Paris who had also beaten Nadal at the 2015 tournament, will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday’s final in what will be his 29th championship match at the Slams. Tsitsipas had earlier become the first Greek to reach a Grand Slam final with a 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Germany’s Alexander Zverev. Nadal, 35, who would have been the oldest finalist at the French Open in the modern era, remains tied on 20 majors with Roger Federer. “It was a privilege to face Rafa in such an incredible match,” said Djokovic after four hours and 11 minutes of intense action. “Tonight it was my greatest ever match in Paris.” It was his second win in eight meetings in Paris with Nadal, a sequence which also included three losses in finals. It was Nadal’s first defeat in 14 semi-finals in the French capital. “Probably it was not my best day today, even if I fought,” said Nadal. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I had a big chance. There were some crazy points but there was fatigue there.” Djokovic finished with 50 winners; Nadal committed 55 unforced errors under the relentless assault. Djokovic had two break points in the opening game of the first set which stretched to 10 minutes but was unable to convert. Curfew-buster Nadal made him pay, sprinting away for a 5-0 lead before the top seed got on the board. Djokovic clung on, retrieving one break to get to 2-5 but Nadal eventually prevailed after one hour on court even if he required seven set points to edge ahead. As a sign of the tension of the occasion, Nadal complained to chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that he needed more time to collect his towel. Djokovic aired his bemusement at the amount of clay on the baselines. Spain's Rafael Nadal leaves the court after his match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic. PHOTO: AFP The old rivals exchanged breaks in the second and third games of a big-hitting second set but it was Djokovic who repeated the feat for a 4-2 lead before levelling the tie. Twice in the third set Djokovic edged ahead, only to be reeled back in by Nadal who broke back in the 10th game as the world number one served for the set. Djokovic then had to save a set point with an ice-cool drop shot in the 12th game. “You cannot play better clay court tennis than this. It’s perfect,” tweeted Andy Murray. A 92-minute third set ended with Djokovic taking the tiebreak. In a further twist on a dramatic evening, the 5,000 spectators inside Court Philippe Chatrier were allowed to watch the conclusion of the match despite it passing the 11pm Covid-19 curfew. “In agreement with the national authorities, the match will come to an end in your presence,” said a stadium announcer told delighted fans. Nadal then broke in the first game of the fourth set but Djokovic levelled for 2-2 and broke again for 4-2. He finished it off on a second match point when Nadal hit wide and long. More on this topic Related Story Tennis: Tsitsipas finds way past fighting Zverev in French Open for maiden major final Related Story Tennis: Covid-19 curfew lifted at Djokovic-Nadal French Open semi-final
PARIS (REUTERS) - Rafa Nadal dropped a set at Roland Garros for the first time in two years but roared back to beat 10th seed Diego Schwartzman 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-0 on Wednesday (June 9) and reach the French Open semi-finals. Dominic Thiem was the last player to take a set off Nadal in the 2019 final but Schwartzman was up to the task, ending the 13-times winner’s run of 36 consecutive sets at Roland Garros. Nadal had beaten Schwartzman twice before at Roland Garros, but he seemed to have met his match as the Argentine played with confidence, dominating the longer rallies with well-constructed points. Schwartzman was forced to save two break points early in the opening set, with one electric rally ending with him winning a point with a controlled lob over Nadal that earned the Spaniard’s applause. Nadal broke to love on Schwartzman’s next service game with three consecutive winners to put pressure on the 10th seed, who broke back with a sharp forehand winner. A second consecutive service break gave Nadal a 5-4 lead and this time he made no mistake on serve, closing out the set with a forehand winner down the line. A fired-up Schwartzman returned for the second set and the 28-year-old raced into a 3-0 lead on the back of long rallies and clever approach shots to close out points which forced Nadal to go on the defensive. Nadal won 12 of the next 14 points to bring it back level at 3-3 but an unfazed Schwartzman found a higher gear to hold serve, taking a 5-4 lead before breaking to level the match at a set apiece as the Philippe Chatrier crowd roared its approval. Evenly poised The third set went with serve as neither player refused to back down, playing their attacking shots with precision, and the match was evenly poised at 4-4. Two loose shots from Schwartzman allowed Nadal to take control in the ninth game and he converted a crucial break point to go up 5-4 before he served out the final game to love to lead two sets to one. “We know each other well,” Nadal said. “I started badly in the second set but then I was able to come back (in the match). At 4-4 (in the third), returning with the wind helped. “If I played a bad game there, I would have been in a tricky situation, saving (the game) to not lose the set. He’s a great player... I needed to play a little more aggressive and I think I did.” By the fourth set a tired Schwartzman was reduced to little more than a bystander, talking to himself between points as his unforced errors count mounted while a clinical Nadal sent winners whizzing past. Nadal, who finished with 35 winners, will next play either top seed Novak Djokovic or Matteo Berrettini who meet in the last quarter-final later on Wednesday. More on this topic Related Story Tennis: Holder Swiatek final big name to fall in French Open, Krejcikova ends Gauff’s run Related Story Tennis: Tsitsipas ends Medvedev run in French Open to book last four spot
PARIS (REUTERS) - Claycourt king Rafael Nadal overcame a wobbly start to subdue Italian teenager Jannik Sinner 7-5, 6-3, 6-0, on Monday (June 7) and book a place in the French Open quarter-finals. The Spanish defending champion, looking to claim a record-extending 14th Roland Garros singles title and become the only man to win 21 Grand Slam singles crowns, has won 35 consecutive sets in Paris. World number 19 Sinner, who at 19 years old has been labelled as the next big thing in tennis, hit a brick wall on court Philippe Chatrier after leading 5-3 in the opening set. Third seed Nadal will face Diego Schwartzman for a place in the semi-finals after beating the Argentine in the last four in the previous edition of the tournament. "I played against a very good player who has a great future and I'm very happy with the win," Nadal said. "I started playing well the first couple of games and then I played too defensive for a few games and gave him the chance to step into the court and play his shots. After that the match changed a lot." Facing the ultimate challenge on clay, Sinner struggled to get into the groove before cancelling out an early break as Nadal experienced problems with his first serve. Sinner, who lost to the claycourt master in the quarter-finals here last year, found himself up a break after two Nadal double faults and a few uncharacteristic errors. Serving for the set, however, Sinner lost the game to love and Nadal levelled at 5-5 on his opponent's 25th unforced error before breaking to love again to seal the opening set. After losing eight games in a row, Sinner stopped the rot with a break, clinching it after rushing to the net to retrieve a drop shot and delivering a stunning crosscourt passing shot. Nadal quickly recovered to break again, however, and he served out to take a two-set lead before securing his 104th match win at Roland Garros. The Spaniard has not lost at the Paris Grand Slam tournament since 2015 when he was knocked out in the last eight by Novak Djokovic, his potential semi-final opponent.
ROME (REUTERS) - Defending champion Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal will clash for the Italian Open title after the top two seeds advanced to the final of the Masters tournament on Saturday (May 15). Djokovic, who beat Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 4-6 7-5 7-5 in a rain-delayed quarter-final earlier in the day, was also stretched to three sets in the semi-final before overcoming local favourite Lorenzo Sonego. Sonego, the first Italian to make the semi-finals in Rome in 14 years after he beat world number seven Andrey Rublev earlier on Saturday, had his dream run ended by Djokovic who triumphed 6-3 6-7(5) 6-2. Djokovic failed to convert two match points in the second set that lasted 91 minutes as Sonego forced a tiebreak, where the Serb lost a 4-2 lead. However, the world number one controlled proceedings in the decider and advanced after Sonego's return on match point found the net. Earlier, Nadal beat Reilly Opelka 6-4 6-4 to move into the final in Rome for the 12th time. The match was Nadal's 500th on clay where he has a formidable 458-42 record and the Spaniard advanced after twice breaking the big-serving American. "When you play these kind of matches, you know it's not going to be a beautiful match... you're not going to find rhythm in the match. You're going to have just a few chances to break," Nadal told reporters. "It's important not to suffer much with your serve because if you are... you feel the stress all the time. So the positive thing today, I just faced break points in one game during the whole match." Djokovic was trailing Tsitsipas 6-4 2-1 when Friday's quarter-final was halted by rain but the Serb raised his game at key moments to twice come back from a break down in the deciding set. Djokovic has a 29-27 career record against Nadal but the Spaniard has won five of their eight matches in Rome.
ROME (AFP) - Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal rescued two match points to defeat Canada's Denis Shapovalov in a three-set battle and advance to the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Thursday (May 13). The second seed advanced 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) after nearly 3hr 30min on court against his 13th-seeded opponent. The Spanish world No. 3 was trailing by a set and 0-3 down in the second set before powering back. Shapovalov also broke for 3-1 in the third set but Nadal broke back immediately and held on despite two match points against him in the 12th game to force a tie-break. The 34-year-old veteran reached his 16th last-eight appearance in Rome and a 97th ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. He will next play either Germany's Alexander Zverev, the sixth seed, or Japan's Kei Nishikori for a place in the semi-finals. Nadal, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, lost to Zverev in the Madrid Masters quarter-finals last week. More on this topic Related Story Tennis: Sinner sets up Nadal clash in Rome second round Related Story Tennis: Nadal stunned by Zverev in Madrid to cast cloud over Roland Garros bid
MADRID (AFP) – Rafael Nadal lost 6-4, 6-4 to Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open quarter-finals on Friday (May 7), casting doubts over the Spaniard’s form ahead of this month’s French Open. Nadal has now fallen early in two clay-court Masters tournaments ahead of the Grand Slam in Paris, after going out in the Monte Carlo quarter-finals last month before winning in Barcelona. Even in Barcelona, however, he needed to save a championship point to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. World number two Nadal is hoping to clinch a 14th Roland Garros title and record-setting 21st major in the French capital. “I had the match under control at the beginning and was playing well for six games, probably playing better than him,” said Nadal. “Then at 4-2 serving for 5-2, I had a disaster.” Nadal continued: “Of course, playing against one of the best players in the world, under these circumstances, with this speed of the court, it’s very difficult. I tried but it’s true that the serve was difficult to control today.” Zverev has now beaten Nadal three times in a row but this was his first victory on clay against the five-time Madrid champion. “It’s definitely one of the biggest wins of my career so far, especially on clay against Rafa,” Zverev said. “It is the toughest thing to do in our sport. Beating him in his house, in Spain, is incredible but the tournament is not over yet.” Zverev’s impressive straights-set win at the Caja Magica earns him a meeting with Dominic Thiem in the semis, in what will be a repeat of last year’s US Open final, which was won by Thiem. After losing to world number eight Andrey Rublev in Monaco, Nadal was convincingly beaten by Zverev and the spotlight will be on the 34-year-old now in Rome next week, his last tournament before heading to Paris. Thiem in fourth Madrid semi It started well for Nadal when he broke Zverev to love to lead 4-2 in the first set, Zverev serving a double fault to give away the first advantage. But the world number five immediately hit back and then pulled away, four straight games clinching him the set. A whipping forehand down the line put Zverev up another break midway through the second and while Nadal resisted more pressure in the seventh game to hold, Zverev served out an impressive victory after an hour and 44 minutes. Thiem had earlier come from a set down to beat John Isner 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and reach the last four. The 36-year-old Isner has never been at his most comfortable on clay but he caught Thiem cold by breaking early to claim the opening set. But Thiem ripped a forehand pass to open up a break opportunity at 3-2 in the second, which the Austrian took when Isner hit the net with a volley. Thiem was reading Isner’s serve better by the time the match went to a decider but it was not until 4-4 that he struck again, when he chased down three Isner volleys to serve for victory. He closed out the win in just under two hours. “He’s one of the best servers in history, especially here in the altitude, it bounces high and it’s so difficult to return,” said Thiem after reaching the Madrid semi-finals for the fourth successive time. “To start with a break down is almost like losing the first set but I stayed focused, kept a good fighting spirit. Very few points decide that kind of game and that’s how I turned things around in the second set.” Norway’s Casper Ruud reached the semi-finals of a claycourt Masters event for the third successive time by defeating Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 7-5, 6-1. Ruud, who knocked out world number five and Monte Carlo Masters champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in the previous round, will face either Matteo Berrettini of Italy or Chile’s Cristian Garin for a place in the final.
BARCELONA (AFP) - Rafael Nadal saved a championship point to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 7-5 on Sunday (April 25) and claim a 12th Barcelona Open title in the ATP’s longest match of 2021. The Spaniard secured his first title of the year and 87th of his career, denying Tsitsipas back-to-back triumphs following his maiden Masters 1000 title at Monte Carlo last week. Nadal avenged his Australian Open quarter-final loss to Tsitsipas and will return to second in the ATP rankings on Monday by climbing back above Daniil Medvedev after his marathon 3-hour 38-minute win. “It means a lot for me to play the final here and win,” said Nadal. “I improved my level during the week and this trophy means a lot.” Nadal redeemed himself after a surprise quarter-final exit in Monte Carlo, but the three sets dropped en route to the title represented the most in any of his wins here. “It’s an everyday job, accepting the challenge, staying humble when sometimes you don’t play as well and you have to fight to find solutions every day.” No man has won more matches this year than Tsitsipas (26) but the 22-year-old has lost all seven finals at the ATP 500 level. “Rafa, bravo. How many is that, 28? 28 Barcelona titles is not bad,” joked Tsitsipas. “I’m really jealous. But you’ve earned it. You’re one of the biggest competitors in our sport, I’m sure you know that.” Second seed Tsitsipas, a Roland Garros semi-finalist in 2020, had won all 17 sets on clay this season and entered the final unbeaten on the surface in nine matches. The Greek built up a 4-2 lead in the opening set after breaking Nadal in the third game but dropped his serve twice in succession as the 20-time Grand Slam champion hit back to win four games in a row. Fifth-ranked Tsitsipas, who won just three games when the pair met in the 2018 final, again procured an early break in set two but Nadal responded to haul himself level at 3-all. Nadal failed to convert two match points as Tsitsipas clung on to hold when trailing 5-4, with the Spaniard saving three break points in the very next game. Nadal took a 4-2 lead in the tiebreak but the momentum swung back towards Tsitsipas as he won four straight points, blowing two set points before forcing a decider at the third attempt after a double fault from his opponent. In sharp contrast, the third set went on serve without a single break opportunity until Tsitsipas edged to within a point of the title with Nadal on the ropes serving at 4-5. Nadal survived though and finally converted his fourth break chance in the following game, snuffing out a Tsitsipas break point in the final game before clinching his 61st clay-court title. His 12 Barcelona victories are second only to his 13 Roland Garros trophies. More on this topic Related Story Tennis: Rafael Nadal knocked out of Monte Carlo Masters by Andrey Rublev Related Story Tennis: Nadal, Djokovic miss the 'energy' with no fans in stands
LONDON • Rafael Nadal revealed that he is fresher than usual at the ATP Finals and is ready to play his best today to stop Daniil Medvedev from clinching a maiden victory over him in their fourth meeting. The Spaniard's hopes of winning the season-ender for the first time live on, after he beat defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 on Thursday. The last round-robin match in the London 2020 Group had become a straight knockout, with both men having lost to Dominic Thiem and beaten Andrey Rublev earlier in the week. But it was Nadal who always appeared the more likely winner despite a lapse which allowed Tsitsipas to extend the contest into a decider at a near-deserted O2 Arena. After a flurry of service breaks at the start of the third set, he showed all his experience to pull away and reach the semi-finals for the first time in five years. "In general this was a very positive match for me," said the 34-year-old, who, despite winning 20 Grand Slam titles, has only two runners-up places from his previous nine appearances at the ATP Finals. "Excited to be in the semi-finals. It's always difficult to play here against the best players in the world every single day, end of the season. Most of the time, you get here a little bit tired, but this year is a little bit different… I hope to be ready to try my best." The Spaniard, who has won two titles - at Roland Garros and Acapulco - in this coronavirus-shortened season, is chasing the biggest prize missing from his resume at the eight-man elite event. He has qualified for the ATP Finals for a record 16 consecutive years but has been forced to withdraw on six occasions. As group runner-up behind Austrian Thiem, he will face Medvedev for a place in the final, with the Russian already assured of top spot in the Tokyo 1970 Group. Said Medvedev, who lost to Nadal three times last year, including an ATP Finals defeat at the round-robin stage and a US Open final loss: "Of course I want to get a win against Rafa. I still don't have one." REUTERS ATP FINALS S-finals: StarHub Ch211, 10pm & tomorrow, 4am
LONDON (AFP) - Rafael Nadal kept alive his hopes of a first ATP Finals title on Thursday (Nov 19), beating defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in London to qualify for the last four. The Spaniard, whose haul of 86 singles titles includes just one on indoor hard courts, is chasing the biggest prize missing from his resume at the eight-man elite event. The 34-year-old has qualified for the ATP Finals for a record 16 consecutive years but has been forced to withdraw on six occasions. The second seed won his opening round-robin match against Andrey Rublev but defeat against Dominic Thiem meant he faced a shootout against 2019 champion Tsitsipas to reach the semi-finals. Both players were rock solid on serve until Nadal earned the first two break points of the set in the seventh game, which he failed to convert. Tsitsipas was again under pressure in his next service game and this time he cracked, double-faulting on break point. Nadal pressed home his advantage, serving consecutive aces to take the set 6-4 against his 22-year-old opponent. The Spaniard, twice a finalist at the tournament, had another chance to break in the first game of the second set but the Greek sixth seed dug himself out of danger with a searing backhand. Tsitsipas did well to cling on against his illustrious opponent who was serving with metronomic efficiency and dominating the longer rallies. But out of nowhere the Greek earned two set points on Nadal's serve and levelled when the Spaniard double-faulted on the second of those. The match took a bizarre twist at the start of the decider, with neither player able to hold serve until Nadal finally held to lead 3-1. An over-hit forehand handed Nadal another break and he served out to take the match The Spaniard last month joined the absent Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slams but his record at the end-of-season tournament pales in comparison with the Swiss and Novak Djokovic. Earlier on Thursday, Thiem, who had already qualified for the semi-finals, slumped to a 6-2, 7-5 defeat against debutant Rublev in a dead rubber. The Russian seventh seed raced into a 4-0 lead in the first set and defied a fightback from the US Open champion in the second set to seal the match, breaking the Austrian four times in total. "With the fact that I was already qualified in the back of my mind, it was maybe difficult today to keep that intensity alive," said Thiem, who had already clinched top spot in Group London 2020. The third seed will face the winner of Friday's match between Alexander Zverev and top seed Djokovic in the semi-finals. Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev has already sealed top spot in Group Tokyo 1970 and will play Nadal. The O2 Arena is hosting the event for the 12th and final season before the championships move to Turin.
PARIS (AFP) - Alexander Zverev battled past Stan Wawrinka in straight sets in the Paris Masters quarter-finals on Friday (Nov 6) and will face Rafael Nadal in the last four. The 23-year-old German, who is seeking a third straight title after back-to-back victories on home soil in Cologne, edged out Wawrinka 6-3, 7-6 (7/1). "From my side I thought it was a pretty good match," said Zverev. "Definitely happy to be in the semis and it'll be an interesting one tomorrow (Saturday against Nadal)... A lot of people are looking forward to that and I am too." Fourth seed Zverev has won 11 consecutive matches since losing in the French Open last 16 to Italian youngster Jannik Sinner. He has a 5-1 losing record against Nadal, but won their last meeting at last year's ATP Tour Finals, which was also played on an indoor hard court. Wawrinka looked to be building momentum in the second set, but his level dropped when he served to force a decider in the 10th game and Zverev broke before easing through a one-sided tie-break. More on this topic Related Story Tennis: Rafael Nadal beats Pablo Carreno Busta to reach Paris Masters semis Related Story Tennis: ‘Simply incredible’ as Novak Djokovic equals Pete Sampras’ year-end world number one record