Daniil Medvedev: 'After that tough Rafael Nadal loss, I was disappointed for..'

Despite a solid effort, Daniil Medvedev lost all three encounters on his ATP Finals debut in 2019, hoping for a better run next week. The Russian had a massive chance to score at least one triumph in London last year, opening a 5-1 advantage in the decider against world no. 1 Rafael Nadal and wasting a match point in game seven. In the end, Nadal overcame a deficit and prevailed 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 in two hours and 46 minutes, scoring another thrilling victory over Daniil following the US Open final. Speaking about the match ahead of his second ATP Finals campaign, Daniil said he felt disappointed for a week or two after that tough loss, trying to take positive notes from it and improve his game ahead of the next big encounters. Nadal made a terrible start at the ATP Finals last November, losing to Alexander Zverev in straight sets.

With the year-end no. 1 honor still not officially in his hands, Rafa had to dig deep against Medvedev in the re-run of their magnificent US Open final, beating the Russian 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 after overcoming that colossal deficit. It was their third meeting and third triumph for Rafa, who claimed three points more than his rival, scoring the crucial break at 4-5 in the deciding set before winning the breaker and emerging at the top. World no. 1 fended off four out of six break chances, earning four breaks from nine opportunities and prevailing after saving a match point for the first time since Beijing 2017. Rafa had 26 winners and 27 unforced errors, improving his level significantly in comparison to that first clash against the German. The 19-time Major champion overpowered Daniil in the mid-range exchanges, canceling 41 winners and 40 mistakes from the Russian and delivering essential 200 points in the year-end no. 1 battle with Novak Djokovic.

The Spaniard saved a break chance in game seven to reach a tie break that Daniil claimed 7-3 with a service winner, moving a set away from victory after 53 minutes. Raising his level, Nadal lost six points on serve in set number two and kept the pressure on Medvedev, scoring a break in the first game after a loose forehand from the Russian for a much better position. Delivering one good hold after another, Rafa grabbed another break in game nine to close the set in style, gathering momentum ahead of the decider, where he was the favorite now.

Daniil Medvedev wasted a 5-1 lead and a match point against Rafael Nadal in London.

Instead of that, Daniil earned breaks in games one and three to forge a 4-0 advantage, creating two more chances on the return in the fifth game that could have pushed him further ahead. Rafa repelled those and found the energy to climb back, saving a match point with a perfect drop shot at 1-5 and pulling the second break back at 4-5 to extend the clash and his chances. There were no mini-breaks in the first nine points of the tie break before Rafa scored one in the tenth point when Daniil's forehand landed long. The Spaniard sealed the deal at 6-4 following a backhand mistake from his opponent, celebrating the victory and staying in the semi-final chase.

"I will be honest, for around a week or two, I was disappointed about that match. If I'd won that one, I would have had chances to qualify for semis. Beating Rafa would have been a significant boost of confidence, but it happens in tennis, that's for sure. I should learn from it, and, from the other side, I should leave it behind because that's a match I should have won. As I said, it happens in tennis; it's not the end of life. Nothing occurred to be depressive about; I knew I had to continue working and think about the future. I try not to think about the past too much but only about present and future," Daniil Medvedev said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3kv88Gb