Nadal hopes to make the most of ‘different’ year

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Veteran Spaniard Rafael Nadal is thrilled after beating Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the semi-finals of the ATP Finals in London.

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

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