Nitto ATP Finals, London

[kskate2]

That's where the players tomorrow have a small disadvantage. If those matches become a battle, they have to come right back and play SF on Sat.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

What a great win by GOATdal! Even the match vs Thiem was great level! He has a great shot to win the title!

 

[Kieran]

Medvedev has yet to beat Rafa, and he'll have some scar tissue about last year's match.

Hopefully he will, and of course he's bound to feel the moment too, so it might come down to whether Rafa can hold it together, because we know he'll get stuck in. I'm glad he has the day off tomorrow, he's had 3 hard workouts so far...

 

[kskate2]

Medvedev has yet to beat Rafa, and he'll have some scar tissue about last year's match. And you can count on Schwartzman to make it longer than the scoreline will indicate.

It's an intriguing match this year. They're not in exactly the same place as they were last year. Med is looking lethal and Nads serve has been elevated this year. I can't wait to watch it. I give Nads a slight edge because of the psychological advantage.

 

[Moxie]

That's where the players tomorrow have a small disadvantage. If those matches become a battle, they have to come right back and play SF on Sat.

Medvedev certainly won't be motivated to get into it with Schwartzman tomorrow, but Novak and Zverev don't have any choice.

 

[Kieran]

Medvedev certainly won't be motivated to get into it with Schwartzman tomorrow, but Novak and Zverev don't have any choice.

Zverev is a mystery, isn't he? No reason he shouldn't be able to give Novak a great match tomorrow, but somehow I feel he'd be just as likely to go AWOL...

 

[Moxie]

It's an intriguing match this year. They're not in exactly the same place as they were last year. Med is looking lethal and Nads serve has been elevated this year. I can't wait to watch it. I give Nads a slight edge because of the psychological advantage.

Agreed. Meddie has found his form again, but only just. He'll know he has the stuff to beat Rafa here, but he'll still have to do it. I still find him a bit delicate, psychologically. Both will want it, but Nadal is rather better at navigating the ground between "wanting" and "doing."

But we get ahead of ourselves.

Djokovic v. Zverev is first up tomorrow, which is fair, as they're battling for the SFs. I fully expect Novak to re-find his "motivation," and Zverev has to stay cool and serve well.

Medvedev is going to want to get off the court with the minimum of effort, but he can't tank, because that would be too obvious. So, imo, he needs to play with focus and intensity to get it done without a fight. But he likes a scrap, and Schwartzman is just the man to give him one.

 

[Moxie]

Zverev is a mystery, isn't he? No reason he shouldn't be able to give Novak a great match tomorrow, but somehow I feel he'd be just as likely to go AWOL...

I don't agree that he'll go AWOL. First, because he has Ferrer in his corner for just that reason. Also because he won this 2 years ago, and he barely missed getting the USO this year. He has a lot to play for. The one displaying suspect motivation is Novak, of late. Though he's perfectly capable of stepping it up when he needs to. I expect a dogfight.

 

[Andy22]

Nadal can win Atp finals now this is also good form for Australian open as well.

 

[Kieran]

I don't agree that he'll go AWOL. First, because he has Ferrer in his corner for just that reason. Also because he won this 2 years ago, and he barely missed getting the USO this year. He has a lot to play for. The one displaying suspect motivation is Novak, of late. Though he's perfectly capable of stepping it up when he needs to. I expect a dogfight.

I don't say he will go AWOL, but it's not impossible. But he's capable of doing to Nole what Medvedev did to him. I agree that Ferrer has made him stronger. A dogfight? I only wish it was the later match!

 

[Moxie]

@Moxie You also win the maximum prize $$ if you go undefeated 5-0. So he's not going to get that now if he does win the tourney. So some $$ lost

I wanted to respond to this earlier. Of course there is plenty of motivation here, as I see it. And I really don't understand "lack of motivation" from some players, maybe particularly this year. Perhaps I'm too harsh (what? Me??), but tennis seems like a good gig, especially for elite players. And they skipped 5 months this year. Maybe Thiem had a slump after his match with Rafa, which he called maybe the best match of his life. But I don't buy "lack of motivation" as an excuse, tbh.

 

[Moxie]

I don't say he will go AWOL, but it's not impossible. But he's capable of doing to Nole what Medvedev did to him. I agree that Ferrer has made him stronger. A dogfight? I only wish it was the later match!

Frankly, because Nadal plays Medvedev on Sat., I'm not sorry that Meddie plays later. One round at a time. It's hard to call the Djokovic/Zverev, a bit. If both bring their best, Djokovic wins. If Djokovic starts lethargic and gets grumpy, Zverev should stay right on top of him. Maybe Novak is already got his head in 2021. However, if Zverev isn't serving well, and he gets behind, he can also get negative and, yes, go AWOL. If he does that, on this stage, and if I were Ferrer, I'd at least threaten to leave him as his coach, as Cahill did with Halep. Either Zverev cares, or he doesn't. He should fight tomorrow to his last breath, if he really wants to be a champion.

 

[Andy22]

King Nadal backhand killer winning records against Medvedev Federer Wawrinka tsitsipas Gasquet ECT.

 

[Kieran]

Although I changed my search engines on all machines to DuckDuckGo, I’ve kept the google page I opened to follow Rafa’s scores during the French, a little superstitiously.

Though the semi final schedule isn’t on the atp site, this is saying that Rafa is playing at 2pm Saturday. That would be quite suitable, if it happens...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just finished watching the match

Rafa please No More D/Faults on Big Points Please......I just had my hair coloured

Thanks In Advance!

 

[Jelenafan]

Just finished watching the match

Rafa please No More D/Faults on Big Points Please......I just had my hair coloured

Thanks In Advance!

LOL.

I think both Rafa and Stefano lost the first sets with DF’s.

Having said that, I don’t think either player suffers from serving yips. Now Zverev suffers from the yips.

 

[Moxie]

Zverev was in all of Novak's service games in the 2nd, but couldn't convert. Both seemed a bit lackluster, if you ask me.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just finished watching Sasha v Novak

Novak served better in this match,quite frankly he had to after his match with Danni,played the big points better than Sasha,who needed to be more aggressive in this match,too passive at times,cant afford to do that against Novak.Novak will need to improve when he plays Domi in his s/final match.
Is it just me are these courts playing slower than last year?

 

[Fiero425]

I don't say he will go AWOL, but it's not impossible. But he's capable of doing to Nole what Medvedev did to him. I agree that Ferrer has made him stronger. A dogfight? I only wish it was the later match!

I didn't understand this match going 1st! Are they really expecting a dogfight with little ol' Schwartzy this afternoon/evening? Please! If Daniil rests like Thiem I suppose there's a chance it can be a contest, but not likely! Med needs the points, underachieving for quite a while until of late! He has the game to challenge everyone, but he comes and goes with his best efforts! Nadal has something to prove, but not sure he can make it! Why now of all times when Nole was the oldest to win 5 years ago? This isn't a normal season where everyone should be burned out, I expect more out of Nadal! If he doesn't take advantage of these circumstances, he never will win a YEC; just like this year at the FO for Nole! That was his best chance to add to his totals and he just didn't show up for that final! The first game was telling! If he can't close out that game, he was going to struggle all day long; and he did! It was hard to watch until he showed up sometime late in the 3rd!

 

[Fiero425]

LOL.

I think both Rafa and Stefano lost the first sets with DF’s.

Having said that, I don’t think either player suffers from serving yips. Now Zverev suffers from the yips.

NOW? I don't watch every match & can't remember them all as I once could, but Sascha's always had an issue w/ serving or am I losing it?