Stefanos Tsitsipas scored his first-ever victory over Rafael Nadal at one of the most improbable of places on Saturday night.
On clay and in Spain, Tsitsipas stunned Nadal 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 to reach the final of the Mutua Madrid Open. The 20-year-old Greek broke serve six times–including three in the third set–while triumphing in two hours and 34 minutes.
He had previously been 0-3 lifetime in the head-to-head series and 0-7 in total sets.
“It means the world,” Tsitsipas said. “I’m really happy that I proved myself today. I played one of my best games this year. I’m really happy that I’m fighting, I’m in the zone. I’m enjoying tennis at its fullest potential. It’s really nice to be able to play this way. Today’s victory is just an unbelievable feeling.”
“The mental discipline and being tough and being decisive in all those crucial moments I think was the key. I had to take all those opportunities. Rafa is a fighter; he doesn’t give you free points. You’ve got to fight and give your best on every single point.”
“I didn’t have a good feeling today to do the things I wanted to do and that’s all,” Nadal admitted. “I was clear what I had to do today, but tonight I wasn’t capable of doing it.”
Highlights:
Novak Djokovic preceded Tsitsipas in booking a final spot by scraping past Dominic Thiem 7-6(2), 7-6(4). Thiem led by a break in both sets, but Djokovic battled back each time to prevail after two hours and 22 minutes.
“I played the best match of the clay-court season so far, for me, against arguably the best tennis player in the world on this surface so far [this season],” Djokovic assessed. “[Dominic] had an amazing tournament in Barcelona and here he beat Roger (Federer) yesterday in a thrilling match. So he was in form…. I just managed to hold my nerves and play the best when it was most needed.”
[polldaddy poll=10316633]
wow
Two things stand out about Nadal’s season so far. One is that his best level, especially on clay, is not what it was two years ago. Two is that he has been very inconsistent, even within matches. Both are partly due to injury; I think the latter may be more due to age and nerves.
Tsitsipas, meanwhile, just seems to have gotten much better over the last year. Not surprising that he’s only 20 years old. If he can beat Djokovic tomorrow, he has to be considered a serious contender for RG. In fact, the field there is more wide open than it has been in 15 years. There are perhaps 5 or 6 that I think have a legitimate shot at the title. Can’t wait.
Djokovic in 2.. beating two goats b2b seems implausible
I like Tsitsipas and hope he can win his first Masters title tomorrow. As long as he plays like this, he’ll have his chances against Djoko.
As for Rafa, I don’t know what’s holding him back. It’s obvious that he has the game to play well, judging by how he played to win the second set (getting in 82% first serve and winning 100% of those) and also how relentless he was against Stan.
My guess is that he’s still not 100% fit physically (I don’t mean that he’s still injured, but more about his stamina, which I think needs time to build up after coming back from injury). He’s hitting short and his FH has lost its venom, his timing of some of his shots are not good, resulting in him mis-hitting or overhitting them. He’s also not as quick as before getting to balls.
I think he needs more time to work on his game, his stamina etc. It’s no wonder he was feeling down when he suffered injury again at IW, because he knew that would affect his clay court season.
If Tsitsipas continues to improve on clay and wins some more matches on clay, I think he may be a threat at the FO. After all, he has proven that he can play BO5 matches and wins them to reach the SF at a slam, why not at the FO then? Thiem too, has proven that he’s good enough to reach the business end at the FO. Djoko of course will be a main contender having won it before.
I hope Rafa continues to improve in time for the FO; he may no longer be the hot favourite to win there, but may be counted as one of the main contenders.
I have a weird feeling Nadal is beginning to think at this point in his career, along with Novaks, its all about the Grandslams. I have a feeling he tested his game out during the second and not too motivated to win this match. He had his guns reasonably firing in the second to be at his near best, but I think even at this best, if he loses narrowly in the final, he would be giving the mental edge to Djokovic. I am not saying Nadal is not that competitor anymore and wilfully lose matches, but I wouldnt see wrong to strategically aim for peaking at he French. Also I think Nadal is way better with the sun out.
But with that said, he will still need a favourable draw at the French. Too many young players ready to beat him. Tsitsipas and Thiem will most certainly be trouble at the french if they land at the same quarter /half Best of 5 .. maybe different.
For me as a Nadal fan, with not many years left, all I care is he reaches to 18, 19 and possibly more. Fingers crossed he goes deep at the French and not land on a cloudy rainy day in the semis or finals ..
PK, I think as Rafa gets older, he’ll need more time to get back on track after each injury. It’s unfortunate that he got injured again at IW this year, disrupting his preparation for the clay season.
I feel the match vs Kyrgios at Acapulco which lasted for 3 hours? was the culprit for his knee problem at IW. It’s sad, that Rafa just couldn’t get through the HC season without injuries – it happened early this year; it happened last year at the AO, and then after USO; and it happened at Shanghai in 2017.
I think Rafa really needs his first and second serve to be functioning well for him to play well and shortens points and to win his matches quickly, esp on the HCs. I like how he played at the AO, and thought that’s a positive step forward. It’s unfortunate that Rafa had to play at Acapulco (and according to him he couldn’t practice for five days just before the start of the tournament due to some minor wrist issue. Imo, he could have skipped that event and concentrated on IW instead). Had he skipped that event, maybe he could avoid the latest knee issue?
I’ve already said enough about Rafa and his scheduling, I do believe the injuries happened not without reasons. What’s done couldn’t be undone, so just hope that he’ll pick up his game come Rome; he really needs some good wins to help him feels confident entering the FO.
The Rome draw is a really tough test for Rafa – probably Thiem in the QF; Tsitsipas or Fed in the SF and then Djoko in the final. If Rafa could work through that draw and at least get to the final, then it may help his confidence a bit.
Nadal has had his dodgy knees and outlasted his injury problems for a successful career long enough than even the many experts believed. A lot of us forget (even if momentarily) he has a congenital foot problem that shouldnt even allow him to play tennis. He is soon to be 33 and is already convinced he is ready to play next year and fight for these tournaments and I have no doubt his game would still be around to win. I liked what Kyle Edmund said recently with tennis being fickle. Results, confidence and exaltation can soon come and go.
Rafa up until the Aus Open, has had no problems getting back to playing like he was never out and fortunately the results have worked in his favour as well.
All I can think of is.. come June 9, If Rafa ends up holding the French, None of us would even care how many clay tournaments he won prior. I will be extremely happy since I truly believe he never stops being deserving of that title and I would perhaps say the same thing next year too 🙂
I think Thiem in Rome will be a big question mark. Rafa could certainly pull through and I am certain, he will drub Tsitsipas the next time they meet. but my problem is if it is Novak in the final, would Rafa want to be there. Only he knows. Maybe he would and he would give it his all to win or get to his fighting best before entering the French.
Rafas game is what it is. We all know he can serve well and be aggressive. It continues to be heartstopping watching his rallies wondering which way the point would go. But I do know, his chances post the French would decrease dramatically. too many players now that can beat him on an off day.
Well I’ve read what Rafa said about next year so that at least squash the thought or belief that some of us have, ie, he may be retiring soon after he gets married.
We saw signs of his good game during set two, no reason to think that he couldn’t play that way more often and more consistently if he has more time to train and play matches to get back into his grooves, sooner or later as long as he’s not unlucky enough to get another injury.
We’ll see how he does at Rome and then at the FO, he may not be the hot favorite this time, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t win at the FO. As for Thiem, I do feel he had already played his best match on clay this year at that Barcelona SF, when everything clicked for him; he wasn’t playing as well here in Madrid, probably because of the quicker conditions here making it like a hard court.
Tsitpas may have to get past Fed first at Rome, may or may not beat Fed, and yes, I think Rafa will beat Tsitsipas there should they meet, because Rome is played on slow clay, furthermore, Tsitsipas by then would have played plenty of tennis already, may not be able to play at this level again, maybe until the FO, when he has already gotten some suitable rest.
Djoko is Djoko, if he gets to the Rome final too, he’ll raise his level to win the title.
I have Rafa beating Novak in the Rome final. It just seems right that Rafa go on the warpath right now. Honestly I had my eyes closed during the last set of Rafa vs Stefanos match — I couldn’t watch Rafa getting beat or Stefanos getting beat. But I just watched all the match with my eyes wide open and dang it if I don’t love that Greek kid. Novak just barely scraped by against Thiem. And I’ll be happy if he beats Stef but maybe more happy if Stef beats Nole and wins his first Masters 1000 — I want that more for Stef than I do for Nole. Nole has all the Masters 1000 and needs no more. But I do want Nole to win another few GS’s, if possible. Also, I want Rafa to win this RG and more GS. Vamos Rafa, Vamos Nole and Vamos Stefanos. I’m completely charmed by the ATP again. Christian Garin is another one: Vamos Garin, winner of Munich. He wasn’t invited to qualify for Rome and I don’t see him on FO schedule, dang it. Terrible shame.
My brackets are done and they are a mess both ATP and WTA. I want Halep to win Rome, dang it. Or Kvitova.
But I won’t be able to watch the final later today live. Tennis channel will be replaying it.
Great win for Sissy, fully deserved, Rafa isnt the player he was, age catching up and now losing a step, time to let him just enjoy playing tennis with no expectations, hes nothing left to prove anymore, done it all , somebody elses turn to shine ….
Go get the title Sissy ….
Great win for Tpas….and I just don’t think Rafa’s got the mental or physical edge he udes to have on clay…he won’t win at RG.