Mutua Madrid Open - an ATP Masters 1000 category tournament, on Red Clay, in Madrid, Spain, 4-11 May 2019.
Defending champion:
Alexander Zverev (2) who defeated Dominic Thiem (5) 6-4 6-4
Semi finals
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Rafa Nadal (2)
Nadal led the head to head record 3-0, two wins from last year, and a semi final victory in the Australian Open earlier this year.
Today, Tsitsipas broke the Nadal serve in the opening game, converting the second of two break points with a wide Spanish backhand. Nadal responded with a break back, to love. 1-1.
The five time champion took the lead by holding serve, on the way saving a break point when a drop shot was just enough. Serves were held for the next two games, but Tsitsipas found himself down 0-40 in the sixth game, due to a long backhand, a wide backhand, and a winning backhand from Nadal. All break points were saved through Nadal errors, and Tsitsipas held for 3-3.
Having saved the break points, Tsitsipas turned it around by breaking Nadal, winning forehands and a volley to the fore. Unable to consolidate, Tsitsipas saved one of two break points with a serve volley success, but a netted forehand enabled Nadal to level at 4-4. Disappointed at letting the Spaniard back, Tsitsipas didn’t dwell on it too long. Instead he had another crack, and it worked. A fabulous lob was too good for Nadal, as was the forehand cross court winner. Two break points were produced once Nadal hit a forehand long, and the break was confirmed on the second chance, thanks to a stunning Greek return.
Tsitsipas survived a break point when serving for the set at 5-4. The defensive lob / half volley combo from Nadal for 30-30 was special. At 30-40, a Greek forehand set up an easy put away and deuce. The set was won by Tsitsipas, the final point closed out with a forehand setting up a sharp volley. 6-4.
Five games of set two went by without a break point, but Nadal struck in game six. He found some luck with a net cord for 15-15 and Tsitsipas lost the remaining points in this service game, all through errors. 4-2 to Nadal.
A love game was the perfect tonic for the Spaniard to extend his lead to 5-2, and be just a game away from levelling the match.
Somewhat rattled, Tsitsipas was at the mercy of a rampant Nadal, who hit a couple of clean winners to bring up two set points. One was saved at the net by the eighth seed. The second was also saved, this by a forehand winner. Nadal hit a backhand cross court winner to achieve a third set point, and he took it 6-2 once Tsitsipas missed the mark with a backhand.
In the decider, both players saved break points in arriving at 2-2. Then Tsitsipas made the decisive break. Nadal led 40-15 on serve, but lost four straight points to drop serve. Tsitsipas then saved two break points en route to consolidating the break for 4-2, before again taking down the Nadal serve, the fifth time for the match.
Leading 5-2, the 20 year old would serve for a spot in the final.
Of course Nadal would not make that task easy. He broke the Greek serve, just maybe sowing a few doubts in the mind of the young star.
In the ninth game, Nadal had the lead at 30-15, but soon it became 30-40 and match point. It was saved. And saved once more. And once more after that. Nadal was at his very best in the most difficult of circumstances. Finally, with the fourth match point Tsitsipas emerged victorious 6-4 2-6 6-3. A famous win, and Nadal is without a clay court title from his first three attempts this year. In fact, no titles at all in 2019.
- Novak Djokovic (1) defeated Dominic Thiem (5) 7-6(2) 7-6(4), and will play Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.
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