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2020 Nitto ATP Finals / Rafael Nadal bt. Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 4-6 6-2
Next - Daniil Medvedev
Rafael Nadal used all his experience to prevail in a three-set thriller against defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the semi-finals of the ATP Finals in London on Thursday.
Nadal won 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 against Tsitsipas at the O2 Arena to reach the last four of the season-ending tournament for the sixth time in 10 appearances.
“In general this was a very positive match for me,” said Nadal, who despite winning 20 Grand Slam titles has only two runners-up places to show for his previous nine appearances at the ATP Finals. “Excited to be in the semi-finals.”
“I still won two matches like last year,” Nadal said. “Last year, I was a little bit unlucky not to be in the semi-finals. The year before I had to pull out. It is always difficult to play here against the best players in the world every single day at the end of the season. Most of the time, you get here a little bit tired, but this year is a little bit different… I am just excited to be in the semi-finals and I hope to be ready to try my best.”
"I think I played quite well for such a long time,” Nadal said. “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 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 34-year-old Spaniard will now face Daniil Medvedev for a place in the final with the Russian already assured of top spot in the Tokyo Group.
“He’s playing great," Nadal said. "I think last year he was very tired mentally at the end of the season. I think this year is a different story. He has plenty of confidence.”
Photos: Getty Images; AFP; REUTERS; BPI; Xinhua
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