No Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic 2021 ATP Cup rematch, as the event gets..

Tennis Australia officials have put a lot of effort in the past couple of weeks to secure the first Major of the season in Melbourne. Tennis Australia and the Victoria government are yet to release the official statement, although it seems evident that the Australian Open will start on February 1, 2021. The organizers of the first Major of the season have discussed the coronavirus health protocols, insisting that the players should be allowed to train during the quarantine period. State officials have confirmed that Melbourne Park will stage the event, with the final rules and regulations coming in the next couple of days. Players will arrive in Melbourne in January, endure a quarantine period, and train ahead of the season's first notable event, in entirely different circumstances than this January. The majority of the ATP field had kicked off the 2020 season at the newly-formed ATP Cup, the 10-day 24-team event in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. Still, the ATP Cup will not occur in 2021 due to the current situation, with the Australian Open receiving all the attention.

In the final, Serbia met Spain and scored a 2-1 victory led by Novak Djokovic, who gathered momentum ahead of the Australian Open. Roberto Bautista Agut defeated Dusan Lajovic 7-5, 6-1 in an hour and 37 minutes in the opening encounter, putting Spain in the driving seat. Bautista Agut did everything right in Perth and Sydney during those ten days, scoring six straight-sets wins over lower-ranked opponents and allowing Nadal to compete with less stress in challenging top-ranked encounters. Roberto served at 75% and got broken twice from five chances offered to the Serb once he was already miles in front.

The second edition of the ATP Cup will have to wait until 2022.

Dusan delivered a fantastic performance against Karen Khachanov a day before but couldn't repeat that level, giving away more than half of the points behind the initial shot and suffering five breaks from ten opportunities offered to the top-10 rival. In the second match, Novak Djokovic scored his ninth straight victory over Rafael Nadal on hard courts, beating world no. 1 6-2, 7-6 to keep Serbia alive ahead of the doubles clash.

Djokovic dominated in the first set before Nadal responded in the second, staying in touch with the Serb and missing a chance to break him at 3-2 and gain the lead. Firing 12 aces, Novak lost only 14 points in ten service games, repelling five break chances and stealing Nadal's serve twice in the opener for the best possible start. Rafa served better in set number two and stayed in touch after erasing two late break chances, only to fall in the tie break and send Novak over the top. In the title match at Ken Rosewall Arena, Serbia defeated Spain in the doubles encounter to secure the title. Novak and Viktor Troicki took down Pablo Carreno Busta and Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 15 minutes to put their name on that beautiful trophy that will stay in their possession until 2022.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2VbYUUI