A blockbuster semifinal lineup on Saturday in Beijing pits Rafael Nadal against Grigor Dimitrov and Alexander Zverev against Nick Kyrgios. Only Grigor Dimitrov needed three sets to get through his quarterfinal contest, as the other three title contenders mostly cruised.
(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (3) Grigor Dimitrov
Nadal and Dimitrov will be squaring off for the 10th time in their careers when they battle for a spot in the China Open final on Sunday. The head-to-head series stands at a dominant 8-1 in favor of Nadal, who is 5-1 against Dimitrov on hard courts. Interestingly, though, Dimitrov’s lone win over the Spaniard came at this same Beijing event just last year via a 6-2, 6-4 quarterfinal decision. Of course, Nadal is not the same player this time around. Back up to No. 1 in the world, the 31-year-old recent captured the U.S. Open title for his second Grand Slam triumph of 2017 and he is an awesome 59-9 this season. So far in Beijing, Nadal has taken out Lucas Pouille, Karen Khachanov, and John Isner–surrendering one set to Pouille in the process.
Likely on his way to joining Nadal at the World Tour Finals, Dimitrov has advanced this week with defeats of Damir Dzumhur, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Roberto Bautista Agut. The eighth-ranked Bulgarian is now 38-15 for his 2017 campaign. Dimitrov, however, needed three sets to scrape past both Dzumhur and Bautista Agut, while Nadal turned in his best performance of the tournament against Isner on Friday. The lopsided trend in this matchup has every reason to continue.
Pick: Nadal in 2
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(8) Nick Kyrgios vs. (2) Alexander Zverev
Zverev destroyed one of his good friends (Andrey Rublev) in the quarterfinals and he will be facing another one in the form of Kyrgios on Saturday. The two current and future stars have collided three times in their ATP careers–all this season. Kyrgios leads the head-to-head series 2-1, having prevailed 6-3, 6-4 in Indian Wells and 6-4, 6-7(9), 6-3 two weeks later in Miami. Zverev exacted a measure of revenge by getting the job done 6-4, 6-3 at the Montreal Masters.
As those results suggest, Kyrgios was on fire earlier in the year but now it is Zverev who is the more in-form of the two. The 20-year-old German has soared to No. 4 in the world thanks in part to a title in Montreal and a preceding Masters 1000 triumph on the clay courts of Rome. Zverev is 51-16 this season following Beijing victories over Rublev, Kyle Edmund, Fabio Fognini. A hip injury derailed Kyrgios’ summer, but the 19th-ranked Australian is getting back in business this fall. He played well at the Laver Cup and booked his spot in the Beijing semis by beating Nikoloz Basilashvili, Mischa Zverev, and Steve Darcis (via retirement). A steep step up in competition against a red-hot adversary will likely bring about an end to Kyrgios’ week.
Pick: Zverev in 3
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I love Nick but when he’s in this shitty brat form I like to see a ruthless badass like Nadal put him to the sword. Well done Rafa 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Well said. Never saw a better demonstration of mental strength and focus versus spoiled brat. Nor will I ever cease to marvel at Rafa’s focus and deteremination combined with all that passion. He feels the emotion, the frustrations, but he processes it at light speed instead of getting “stuck” in it. And if he does get really angry, he simply plays better. Takes it out on the ball. Amazing.
Nativenewyorker,
Stop accusing me of trying to date women here.
I haven’t asked anyone out or seeked an improper friendship, you know that but you are lying.
No offense but I won’t ask you out if my life depended on it, i don’t like u that way and your comments, the actions & lifestyles you defend speaks volumes.
Plzzz if you are going to accuse me of something let it be true.
Leave nny alone Stanley!! It is you who posts grotesque and offensive rubbish not her!
In one revolting post to her during the uso which fortunately she didn’t see you accused her of having evil thoughts and other nonsense.
Stop conceiving of yourself as some kind of wondrous patriarchal authority! You really aren’t Moses or elijah!
Amy,
You are right. I did not see that post during the USO. It’s a good thing, too!
I try to ignore his conments as much as possible. But it’s getting out of hand. There is a lack of self-awareness.
Perhaps we should go back to ignoring him nny!! But some of the stuff he writes is very offensive and I want to make clear to him that if he attacks you I and others will hold him to account..!
simple stanley the racist, misogynist, fascist dumbass.
#FDT
So happy for Rafa, and it feels great sticking two fingers up to the naysayers that think hes only good on clay, 75th career title wow, great analysis from many of the posters here too ….
That was a clinic by any other name. So glad Rafa put him in his place.
LOL To Benny Gs post 🙂
75 titles..that’s a diamond or platinum jubilee (in India , 25 is celebrated as silver, 50 as gold and 75 as diamond jubliee whenever the milestone is met ) . Needs a good celebration 🙂
Nativenewyorker i don’t hate u or others, you are simply angry that i pointed out that the murdering of innocent children( God’s Creation) in the name of health care is Demonic and Evil.
You can keep supporting/defending this satanic practice but remember this, you and others alike who do not repent and seek God’s forgiveness, Mercy and Grace will face God’s righteous judgement for all eternity.
I started commenting here this year and you have be angry with me not because of sports but because i tell you the truth.
For a while i didn’t visit this site because i was busy with work and other important stuff and when i came here i didn’t look 4 you, you came to me.
Please if i am troubling U, then stop talking to me, all that i have done is tell you the truth, argue as fan and try to be a friend.
Please you can end this and i will comply, i have done my best.
There is a non-tennis forum to discuss evil or whatever other nonsense that is not tennis related.
Just ignore the barking dog…Sun doesn’t stop shining when dog barks at it…if you pay attention or respond to his posts, he will bark more..
Saying that it is wrong to murder innocent children in the name of health care is considered barking, my goodness, when you rotten in hell with the devil, u will remember this day and blood of innocent children are in your hands.
If you don’t repent, they words you have spoken today will be a witness on that day.
Stanley, find yourself a pulpit to preach from! It’s not okay here and just when I had started to forget that your impulses rule you and you cannot act with respect to Ricky’s rules here. Very disappointing from you. You know where your dogma belongs: Non-tennis forum is the only place here for discussing religion or politics but threatening and condemning people certainly sounds idiotic on any thread anywhere. Sheesh. Stop it!
Ratcliff, truth has no pulpit, it should be spoken everywhere, anywhere and all the time.
Silence in the face of evil is itself evil, God will not hold us guiltless.
Not to speak is to speak, not to act is to act.
I will rather stand up for the Truth and have a thousand FOOLS attack me than to sit down and be silent and have a thousand FOOLS as friends.
It’s amazing that among all the comments here it is mine u noticed that is non tennis related, BRAVO, well done.
Irrespective i don’t care what u think or say especially when it comes to moral issues & Godly Truth, cos i know where you stand.
I am not threatening or condemning anyone, their words, action and their brazen and vociferous support 4 evil in the past and in the present condemns them and you(Ratcliff) and if u and they don’t change course you and others like u will regret it for all eternity, that’s not condemnation that’s the truth.
Just like grass withers, and its flower falls away, this life on earth is like a vapor, it appears for a little while and then vanish away.
Eternity lasts forever and whatsoever a man/woman sows, at the end they will reap it in full.
Don’t misunderstand, God is merciful & gracious and He will forgive anyone who comes to him in sincere repentance because Jesus has made a way and He is The Way.
You and others like you are part of the reason why they innocent & defenseless are murdered by the thousands daily & millions yearly, know this, God has heard their precious cry by the millions( Glory be to God) and he will be faithful to answer them.
The word of God(The Bible) would say in 2 Peter 3:8-9- ” But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with The Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”( 2 Peter 3:8-9)