ATP World Tour Finals 2019: Rafael Nadal Keeps his Semifinal Hopes Alive

Rafael Nadal gets the better of Stefanos Tsitsipas as he defeats him in a thrilling three-setter 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 to keep his Nitto ATP Finals 2019 semifinal hopes alive. The Spaniard did not face a single breakpoint in the entire match.

Set one

Rafael Nadal kicked off the match positively without hitting a single groundstroke as he hit four big serves to hold the opening service game. On the other hand, Stefanos Tsitsipas held a dicy opening service game from deuce.

The games went with the serves till 6-6 as the set went through the tiebreaker with Rafael Nadal dominating on his first serves, losing only two points behind his first service till the tiebreak. However, the set saw no breakpoints from either of the two players.

In the tiebreaker, Stefanos Tsitsipas got a little bit higher to past the line and edge Nadal 7-4 to win the set in nearly an hour. Tsitsipas continued to dominate on his debut at the ATP World Tour Finals 2019, winning five consecutive sets at the year-end event.

Set two

Both the players started with a pretty businesslike opening service game in the second set.

Clinical Return!!!

In the 5th game of the second set, Rafael Nadal Nadal burst into the game with a brutal forehand down the line and a double fault from Stefanos Tsitsipas brought up the breakpoint of the match for the Spaniard.

However, the 21-year-old responded well to save the first breakpoint before Nadal squandered the second breakpoint, hitting a forehand into the net. Stefanos then closed a gutsy service game with a perfect serve and volley.

Rafael Nadal once again pilled up the pressure on Tsitsipas’ serve at 3-3 as he went 30-0 up but the debutant put the Mallorcan on backfoot with three consecutive points.

The 33-year-old battled again to earn another opportunity to get the first break of the match. However, the Greek hit three big serves in succession to deny the third breakpoint for Nadal.

The World No.1 got back into the match after playing some incredible groundstrokes to earn another break Tsitsipas for the first time in the match at 5-4. Nadal then served out the second set 6-4 and broke Tsitsipas’ streak of 5 consecutive sets at the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals to level back the match at 1-1.

Set three

Both the players held their opening service games with Nadal once again continuing to trouble Tsitsipas’ serve. Rafael Nadal once again brought up two breakpoint opportunity in the fifth game at 15-40. However, Stefanos Tsitsipas kept himself on serve and in the match with another gutsy hold.

Stefanos Tsitsipas continued to keep his head on his service games as he saved the sixth breakpoint of the match in his next service game and hold another crucial game.

Stefanos Tsitsipas finally held a straightforward service game after a long time to lead at 5-4 in the deciding set. Rafael Nadal produced another break point opportunity with a hammering forehand winner but the breakpoint was denied by Tsitsipas. The World No.1 finally broke to get the first break of the final set and served out the match, winning the third set 7-5  after 2 hours and 52 minutes of a grueling physical contest.