"I could have finished at least two more seasons from No. 1"

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(1) R. Nadal b. (6) S. Tsitsipas 6-7 (4) 6-4 7-5 from London, our correspondent

In the contemporary Colosseum of the old Londinium, the heir of the god Hermes – in art Stefanos Tsitsipas – is not the type to make calculations to avoid Federer in the semifinals or eliminate Rafa from the tournament. He played great, never sparing himself, winning the first set at the end of a tie-break played better than Nadal, who had many more motivations because it was the only one he could not lose, and resisting Rafa's continuous break attempts in the next two sets. Resisting strenuously but then yielding in both partial to the Iberian devil who really never dies. Nadal, who after having made a bad figure with Zverev and having won with pride and a lot of luck – as he immediately recognized – with Medvedev (now definitely out), he played one of the best matches of his season, considering the period of the year unfavorable for him (both for the age and for this last factor, he came to the net 33 times making the point on 28 occasions). It is the 128th victory of the left-handed Manacor without conceding a break-ball (for Federer 209 are the victories without a break-point).

A blessing also for the ATP, Totally Bumbling Association, which was able to reward a player with the trophy of No. 1 of the year, if he had not won he would have withdrawn the prize from eliminated. Indeed, a rumor authoritative in the press room argued that Nadal would not have withdrawn the No. 1 trophy of the world if he had lost. Chris Kermode was finally able to give him a prize that Rafa received for the fifth time, exactly like Djokovic and Federer: they do 15 years from 1 of the Fab Three, which become 16 gods Fab Four if we include Murray in 2016. That is all the seasons since 2004 of Federer to today. The last n.1 before the advent of the Martians was Andy Roddick, who in 2003 concluded the five-year interregnum between Sampras and Federer.

FIRST SET – In the first set Rafa was good at getting the net every time he needed it, winning 8 points out of 10 on the net. The set eventually lost it not because of a negative free-winning balance (-5), with Tsitsipas perfectly in balance (13 winners and as many unforced), nor because his second service was worse than that, excellent , of the opponent (71% of points won), but simply because the Greek played the tiebreaker better. Stefanos 4-2 forward is immediately recovered (4 equal), but Rafa suffers a mini-break that sends the Greek 5-4 with two services to close. Ace on the first set-point and Greece ahead.

SECOND SET – In the second part, on the 2 nd, here are the first two breakpoints of the whole game, which happen on Nadal's racket: Tsitsipas, however, cancels from a real champion, the first with a straight out of the counterbalance service to Federer or almost (Rafa had in fact, he responded very profoundly), the latter beating Nadal in the dribble, a sign not just in terms of personality. Two games later the No. 1 ATP 2019, which can not lose, immediately rises 0-30 but thanks to the explosiveness of his shots Stefanos hooks and cancels the third break-point, to then close with an ace. Now the match is very nice because in the rounds of service of the n. 6 of the world everything can happen, in a moment you switch from the possible break Rafa to the confirmation of Stefanos's joke, but very often at the end of great shots rather than errors. All in a context of contemporary Colosseum where Caesar and the public are for Rafa and would like to point the thumb towards the Greek, because it would mean keep Federer-Nadal's hopes alive in the semifinals (to complete the puzzle, however, it is necessary for Medvedev to beat Zverev).

However, by and by, however, Mr. Nadal goes to the fifth break ball at his disposal. It happens on the same 4, in the fourth round of service of the set in which the Greek is forced to the advantages. On the 30th tie, Rafa takes the reins of the exchange with the answer and closes it with a half-field smash, to then close set 6-4. Audience in raptures.

N.1 BUT ALMOST ELIMINATED – Already up to here it was not a matter, but the third set was a succession of great hits between the best versions of Tsitsipas and Nadal from this period of the year. The magnificent backhand to cover the whole Stefanos field and the straight long line of the golden times with which Rafa touches a fragment of a line are worth the ticket price alone, but there is much more and the marvelous balance breaks on the even 5, when the fifth break ball of the set for Rafa (none for Tsitsipas, which however is not at all demeriting) is transformed. After 2 hours and 48 minutes, Rafa is hoping to go into the semifinals and not fail, winning the set with 17 winners (including 9 on the net) and 9 free in the third set, then picks up the n.1 trophy. Tonight, however, it will be any Medvedev fan. An ordinary fan who may not be the protagonist of the two decisive days of the Finals after having been celebrated here as the first in the world.

The updated situation of the Agassi Group
Agassi Group, day 1: the victories of Tsitsipas and Zverev
Agassi Group, day 2:the victories of Tsitsipas and Nadal
The updated ATP ranking