Andy Murray beats Rafael Nadal in straight sets at Mubadala World Tennis Championship
Andy Murray looks sharp as he beats old rival Rafael Nadal in straight sets at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.
Andy Murray looks sharp as he beats old rival Rafael Nadal in straight sets at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.
Americans Jenson Brooksby and Mackenzie McDonald join Roger Federer, Aslan Karatsev and Rafael Nadal as winners in the 2021 ATP Awards.
Brooksby, 21, and the 26-year-old McDonald win respectively in the Newcomer of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year categories. Brooksby rose from outside the Top 300 at the start of 2021 to a career-high No. 56 by November, highlighted by his runs to the Newport final and fourth round at the US Open. McDonald, who fell as low as World No. 272 after undergoing right hamstring surgery in 2019, similarly rose to a career-high No. 54 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. McDonald’s best result also came on home soil when he reached the ATP 500 final in Washington, D.C.
In the two other player-voted categories, peers have selected Nadal as recipient of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the fourth year in a row and fifth time overall, and Russia’s Aslan Karatsev as the Most Improved Player of the Year. Karatsev, 28, broke through to reach the Australian Open semi-finals as a qualifier and won two ATP Tour titles, in Dubai and Moscow.
Cameron Norrie’s coach Facundo Lugones takes home Coach of the Year honours after helping to guide the Briton to two titles from six finals, highlighted by the ATP Masters 1000 trophy in Indian Wells.
Federer has been voted as Fans’ Favourite for a record-extending 19th straight year, while French duo Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut – the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals champions – win the fan-voted award for the first time.
The 2021 ATP Awards also honours Novak Djokovic and Nikola Mektic/Mate Pavic, who received their trophies as the ATP No. 1 presented by FedEx during the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. Djokovic celebrated a seventh finish in the top spot, breaking the record he previously shared with Pete Sampras. Mektic and Pavic won nine tour-level titles in the first year of their partnership.
The Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award goes to New Zealand’s Marcus Daniell, who founded High Impact Athletes last November and announced at the start of 2021 that he would donate at least 10 per cent of his annual winnings to effective charity organizations for the rest of his life.
Tournament of the Year honours have been awarded to the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells (ATP Masters 1000), the Erste Bank Open in Vienna (ATP 500) and the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha (ATP 250). Meanwhile, Prajwal Hegde, the Times of India’s tennis editor, receives the Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award.
2021 ATP Awards Winners
ATP No. 1 presented by FedEx
(Determined by FedEx ATP Rankings)
Novak Djokovic: This is the seventh time the Serbian has earned this honour, passing Pete Sampras for the most year-end No. 1 finishes in the history of the FedEx ATP Rankings (since 1973). Djokovic also achieved the feat in 2011-12, ’14-15, ’18 and ’20. The 34-year-old, who extended his record as the oldest man to finish year-end No. 1, eclipsed Federer’s all-time mark of 310 weeks at No. 1 on 8 March. Djokovic came within one victory of completing the Grand Slam in 2021, winning titles at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon – drawing level with Federer and Nadal at 20 major titles – before finishing runner-up at the US Open. He also triumphed at the Belgrade Open and clinched a record-extending 37th ATP Masters 1000 title in Paris.
ATP Doubles No. 1 presented by FedEx
(Determined by FedEx ATP Rankings)
Nikola Mektic & Mate Pavic: The Croatian duo tallied nine tour-level titles in their first season together, beginning their partnership on a 12-match winning streak. They won 56 of their first 61 matches in 2021, including Masters 1000 triumphs in Miami, Monte-Carlo and Rome. Mektic and Pavic made history at Wimbledon, where they became the first all-Croatian team to win a men’s doubles Grand Slam title, and they proceeded to clinch the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Pavic finished in top spot twice before, partnering Oliver Marach in 2018 and Bruno Soares last year.
Comeback Player of the Year
(Voted by ATP players)
Mackenzie McDonald: The American underwent right hamstring surgery in June 2019 and fell as low as World No. 272 last year. Starting 2021 at No. 194 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, McDonald showed good form early on when he advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open — his best performance at a major since Wimbledon in 2018. He also won an ATP Challenger Tour title and qualified for Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The former UCLA Bruin’s most impressive result came in Washington, D.C., where he eliminated defending champion Nick Kyrgios and former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori en route to the ATP 500 final. McDonald ascended to a career-high No. 54 in November. Thanasi Kokkinakis, Andy Murray and Jack Sock were also nominated in this category.
See you in 2022 ?#ATPAwards pic.twitter.com/KkVhNOtQsK
— ATP Tour (@atptour) December 14, 2021
Most Improved Player of the Year
(Voted by ATP players)
Aslan Karatsev: The Russian’s season began in the first round of qualifying at the Australian Open when he was World No. 114. He strung together eight straight wins to reach the semi-finals at the first major of the season, including victories over Diego Schwartzman, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Grigor Dimitrov before losing to Djokovic. One month later, he clinched his first tour-level title at the ATP 500 tournament in Dubai. The 28-year-old also triumphed on home soil in Moscow, reached the final in Belgrade and scored top two wins against Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. Karatsev reached a career-high No. 15 FedEx ATP Ranking in November. Carlos Alcaraz, Cameron Norrie and Casper Ruud were also nominated in this category.
Newcomer of the Year
(Voted by ATP players)
Jenson Brooksby: The American had earned just one tour-level win before the 2021 season and sat outside the Top 300 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. He finished his campaign at a career-high No. 56 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Brooksby reached his maiden ATP Tour final in Newport, before he advanced to the fourth round at a major for the first time on home soil at the US Open, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in four sets. Brooksby also reached tour-level semi-finals in Washington and Antwerp and captured three ATP Challenger Tour trophies. Four other #NextGenATP stars – Sebastian Baez, Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Hugo Gaston and Brandon Nakashima – were also nominated in this category.
Congratulations Jenson ?#ATPAwards pic.twitter.com/FDeO9FpqrF
— ATP Tour (@atptour) December 16, 2021
Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award
(Voted by ATP players)
Rafael Nadal: Fellow players have once again recognised Nadal for his fair play, professionalism and integrity on and off the court, selecting the Spaniard as the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for a fourth straight year and fifth time overall. Nadal also received this honour in 2010. Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud and Frances Tiafoe were also nominated in this category.
Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award
(Awarded by ATP)
Marcus Daniell: The Kiwi announced at the start of 2021 that he would donate at least 10 per cent of his annual winnings to effective charity organisations for the rest of his life. Daniell became involved with the effective altruism movement, which focusses on using one’s resources to do the most good, in 2015. Last year, he launched High Impact Athletes, an organisation whose purpose is to channel charitable donations to the most effective, evidence-based charities in the world, specifically in the fields of extreme poverty and environmental impact.
“The larger we make this snowball, the more positive impact we can have in the world” – @MarcusDaniell ?#ATPAwards pic.twitter.com/MljcbCQKNW
— ATP Tour (@atptour) December 14, 2021
Fans’ Favourite Award (Singles)
(Voted by fans)
Roger Federer: The Swiss has been selected as Fans’ Favourite for a record 19th straight year, taking his record haul of ATP Awards to 40. Federer, who celebrated his 40th birthday in August, made his comeback to the ATP Tour this past March in Doha after undergoing two arthroscopic right knee surgeries in 2020. He concluded his 2021 campaign with a run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Fans’ Favourite Award (Doubles)
(Voted by fans)
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut: The Frenchmen have been voted as the Fans’ Favourite doubles team for the first time. Herbert, 30, and 39-year-old Mahut claimed three team titles in 2021, including their second at Roland Garros and third at Queen’s Club. They capped off the ATP Tour season by winning the Nitto ATP Finals, their 20th title together since 2015.
Wowww!!! Thank you so much guys ! ?❤️?? https://t.co/IgavXXMUHg
— PH Herbert (@p2hugz) December 16, 2021
Coach of the Year
(Voted by ATP coaches)
Facundo Lugones: The Argentine helped Briton Cameron Norrie, his former college teammate at Texas Christian University, to a career-best season. Norrie claimed his first tour-level title in Los Cabos before battling to the ATP Masters 1000 trophy in Indian Wells. He was an alternate at the Nitto ATP Finals, where he played two matches. Norrie finished 2021 with a 52-25 record. Lugones was selected as the winner from a shortlist that included Craig Boynton (Hubert Hurkacz), Gilles Cervara (Daniil Medvedev), Juan Carlos Ferrero (Carlos Alcaraz) and Christian Ruud (Casper Ruud).
Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award
(Awarded by ATP)
Prajwal Hegde: Hegde, who played tennis at national level when younger, has been the Times of India’s tennis editor since 2005. She began her career with Mid-Day in Mumbai, covering a range of sports including tennis, cricket and field hockey, and then spent nine years with Deccan Herald, Bangalore, where her focus shifted largely to tennis. Hegde has also written books, with her debut novel ‘What’s Good About Falling’ published by Harper Collins in 2018.
ATP Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year
(Voted by ATP players)
BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells): The BNP Paribas Open wins in the ATP Masters 1000 category for a record-extending seventh time. Held amidst the natural beauty and backdrop of the desert landscape, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden offers top-notch player facilities and amenities; plentiful practice courts that allow fans to watch players up close; and unparalleled dining options.
ATP 500 Tournament of the Year
(Voted by ATP players)
Erste Bank Open (Vienna): ATP 500 Tournament of the Year honors goes to a first-time winner, the Erste Bank Open. First held in 1974, the indoor hard-court regularly attracts the world’s best players to Vienna in October. Even during COVID-19-impacted times nearly 60,000 fans visited the Stadthalle and the new, second match location “Tennis 2 Go” on the premises of the Wiener Eislaufverein in the city centre of Vienna for the 2021 edition.
ATP 250 Tournament of the Year
(Voted by ATP players)
Qatar ExxonMobil Open (Doha): The Qatar ExxonMobil Open repeats as winner in the ATP 250 category, claiming the Tournament of the Year award for the fourth time overall (2015, 2017, 2019). Doha has set high standards since its inception in 1993 and under the guidance of former player Karim Alami, the tournament continues to build its reputation for its superb facility, world-class hospitality and welcoming fans.
The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells (ATP Masters 1000), Erste Bank Open in Vienna (ATP 500) and Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha (ATP 250) have been named as Tournament of the Year in their respective categories in the 2021 ATP Awards. The tournament awards, voted by ATP players, recognise the leading standards set across events on the ATP Tour.
The BNP Paribas Open wins in the ATP Masters 1000 category for a record-extending seventh time. Held amidst the natural beauty and backdrop of the desert landscape, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden offers top-notch player facilities and amenities; plentiful practice courts that allow fans to watch players up close; and unparalleled dining options.
ATP 500 Tournament of the Year honors goes to a first-time winner, the Erste Bank Open. First held in 1974, the indoor hard-court regularly attracts the world’s best players to Vienna in October. Even during COVID-19-impacted times nearly 60,000 fans visited the Stadthalle and the new, second match location “Tennis 2 Go” on the premises of the Wiener Eislaufverein in the city centre of Vienna for the 2021 edition.
“We are very pleased that the Erste Bank Open were voted the ATP 500 tournament of the year for the first time in our long history,” said Tournament Director Herwig Straka. “We take this as an award for the entire team, which prepares and implements the event with great motivation every year. We consistently try to improve and innovate the Erste Bank Open, like this year’s launch of the ‘Tennis 2 Go’ project, to offer both, players and fans world-class tennis and entertainment at the highest level.”
The Qatar ExxonMobil Open repeats as winner in the ATP 250 category, claiming the Tournament of the Year award for the fourth time overall (2015, 2017, 2019). Doha has set high standards since its inception in 1993 and under the guidance of former player Karim Alami, the tournament continues to build its reputation for its superb facility, world-class hospitality and welcoming fans.
Rafael Nadal has been selected by fellow players as the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the fourth straight year in the 2021 ATP Awards. The 35-year-old has now received this honour five times, first triumphing in 2010.
The award recognises the Spaniard’s fair play, professionalism and integrity on and off the court.
All ATP Awards Winners
“I can’t be happier to receive one more time the Sportsmanship Award from my colleagues on the Tour,” Nadal said. “It means a lot to me, so thanks a lot to every player that thinks that I am the right one to receive this award.
“Honestly, it means a lot to me because I try to be always correct on court. Thanks for believing in me and I wish all the very best for the 2022 season to all my colleagues on the Tour and I hope to see you soon.”
The Spaniard has won an ATP Award in each of the player-voted categories: Newcomer (2003), Most Improved (2005), Comeback (2013) and Sportsmanship (2010, 2018-2021). He was also named Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year in 2011 and crowned ATP No. 1 presented by FedEx five times (2008, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019).
Nadal won titles on clay in Barcelona and Rome this year and reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros, before concluding his season in August due to injury. The 35-year-old finished at No. 6 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, his 17th straight season in the year-end Top 10, breaking the record he previously shared with Jimmy Connors.
The Battle of the Brits – an exhibition organised by Jamie Murray and featuring Andy Murray – is postponed because of rising coronavirus cases.
Juan Martin del Potro provided fans with a positive update on Thursday.
The former World No. 3 declared that he is hoping to make his return next February at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires and the Rio Open presented by Claro in Rio de Janeiro. The ‘Tower of Tandil’ has not competed in two-and-a-half years due to multiple right knee surgeries.
“I’ve been training really hard. Some days are better than others, but always with the hope of coming back to compete early next year,” Del Potro said. “It would be very special to come back in Buenos Aires and then play in Rio. As you can imagine, I’m giving my all every day so we can meet again very soon. I’ll keep you all updated with my progress. Take care ?.”
The Argentine star last played a tournament at the 2019 cinch Championships at Queen’s Club. Del Potro has battled back from injury on multiple occasions during his career, earning Comeback Player of the Year in the ATP Awards in 2011 and 2016.
The 33-year-old is No. 755 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. He has won 22 tour-level titles, including an ATP Masters 1000 triumph at the 2018 BNP Paribas Open and a major victory at the 2009 US Open.
Matteo Berrettini conquered adversity better than any server on tour in 2021.
An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of players holding serve when trailing in the point score up to Deuce identified Berrettini as the only player to feature in the leading three positions in all six point scores. The data set is focused on holding from 0/15, 0/30, 0/40, 15/30, 15/40, and 30/40. It includes players who competed in a minimum of 10 matches in the 2021 season.
Berrettini impressively led the Tour in three of the six serving categories and ended the season fourth best in Service Games Won at 89.6 per cent. Below is an analysis of holding serve in 2021 when trailing in the point score up to Deuce.
Holding From 0/15 (Tour Average = 62.3%)
1. J. Isner – 84.3% (113/134)
2. M. Berrettini – 80.4% (176/219)
T3 N. Djokovic – 76.0% (171/225)
T3 R. Federer – 76.0% (38/50)
John Isner performed best when trailing 0/15, holding 84.3 per cent of the time. Berrettini was second at 80.4 per cent, and Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer tied for third place at 76.0 per cent. There were only 14 players who managed to win more than 70 per cent of their service games from 0/15.
Holding From 0/30 (Tour Average = 36.9%)
1. N. Djokovic – 61.5% (48/78)
2. M. Berrettini – 61.3% (38/62)
3. S. Tsitsipas – 59.1% (52/88)
Djokovic (61.5%) and Berrettini (61.3%) were the only two players to push above the 60 per cent threshold holding serve from 0/30. Stefanos Tsitsipas came in third place, powered by his strong clay-court season. The Greek held serve from 0/30 a stunning 65.6 per cent (21/32) on clay in 2021 from 28 matches. That performance was notably higher than Rafael Nadal, who was in second place on clay holding from 0/30 at 59.5 per cent (25/42).
Holding From 0/40 (Average = 15.3%)
1. M. Berrettini – 38.1% (8/21)
2. J. Isner – 36.4% (4/11)
3. G. Dimitrov – 35.7% (5/14)
Berrettini fell behind 0/40 21 times in the 2021 season and managed to hold on eight (38.1%) of those occasions. Isner (36.4%) and Grigor Dimitrov (35.7%) came second and third. Cameron Norrie fell behind 0-40 56 times in 2021, which was the most of any player on tour. He was only able to come back and hold serve four times.
Holding From 15/30 (Average = 55.7%)
1. M. Berrettini – 73.3% (99/135)
2. R. Federer – 72.5% (29/40)
3. J. Isner – 72.5% (58/80)
Berrettini was the Tour leader holding from 15/30 this season, holding 73.3 per cent of the time. Roger Federer and Isner were tied for second at 72.5%. The other two players to hold from north of 70% were Kevin Anderson (72.2%) and Milos Raonic (70.4%).
Holding From 15/40 (Average = 27.2%)
1. D. Shapovalov – 51.4% (37/72)
2. A. Popyrin – 46.7% (28/60)
3. M. Berrettini – 46.3% (25/54)
Denis Shapovalov was the only player on Tour to drop into a 15/40 hole and hold serve more than he lost it. The 22-year-old Canadian held an astounding 51.4 per cent (37/72) of the time. In second place was another 22-year-old player in Aussie, Alexei Popyrin, who held 46.7 per cent of the time from 15/40. Berrettini rounded out the top three, holding 46.3 per cent. The other five players to reach the 40 per cent threshold were Federer (45.0%), Thiago Monteiro (44.7%), Dominic Thiem (43.3%), Philipp Kohlschreiber (42.3%), Raonic (40.0%) and Isner (40.0%).
Holding From 30/40 (Average 44.8%)
1. M. Berrettini – 61.8% (63/102)
2. D. Shapovalov – 59.8% (76/127)
3. R. Federer – 58.8% (20/34)
Berrettini was the only player to hold serve above the 60 per cent threshold when trailing 30/40, holding 61.8 per cent of the time. Shapovalov, who led the 15/40 category, came in second at 59.8 per cent, with Federer finishing third at 58.8 per cent (20/34).
Berrettini finished the 2021 season at No. 7 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, which is also his career-high ranking. Serving his way out of trouble was a big part of his 2021 success and will also form as a foundation to keep climbing the FedEx ATP Rankings in 2022.
With the ATP Tour season having come to an end, some of tennis’ brightest up-and-coming stars went back to school last week. Tennis school, that is.
Twenty-three players attended ATP University — two days of sessions covering a wide variety of topics to further improve the off-court skills and enhance the knowledge they need to succeed on the ATP Tour. Topics covered included Tour Structure, Integrity and Mental Health with Sporting Chance.
According to Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals competitor Brandon Nakashima, it was a beneficial set of workshops for his development.
“The ATP University experience was great! You know coming up as a young player there’s a lot to know about the ATP that maybe us players don’t realise behind the scenes,” Nakashima said. “But having the university really educates us in all aspects of professional tennis.”
Social media has increasingly become an important part of professional athletes’ lives, providing players with an opportunity to connect with their fans. Nakashima’s favourite workshop was about social media and how he can use it to continue building his profile.
“It’s interesting to see how social media has affected people from all over the world,” Nakashima said. “I realised that social media plays a big role in your personal platform and how to let your fans know what you’re up to.”
Players were also treated to discussions with ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi and former World No. 3 Ivan Ljubicic, who is a member of Roger Federer’s coaching team.
“It was really nice,” Hugo Gaston said. “It was nice to speak with everyone and to learn more things!”
This year’s ATP University graduates were Carlos Alcaraz, Tomislav Brkic, Jenson Brooksby, Francisco Cerundolo, Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Maxime Cressy, Joao Domingues, Hugo Gaston, Filip Horansky, Zdenek Kolar, Sebastian Korda, Tomas Machac, Alex Molcan, Gian Marco Moroni, Lorenzo Musetti, Brandon Nakashima, David Pel, Hunter Reese, Holger Rune, Matej Sabanov, Roman Safiullin, Mario Villa Martinez and Kacper Zuk.
ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said: “The ATP University continues to be an invaluable tool to help players learn about the different aspects of the Tour, beyond the tennis court. I remember taking part in the University myself in the 1990s, and there is so much to discover about how to effectively manage your career. Life on the Tour comes with a lot of responsibility, particularly at a young age. We hope the players found the sessions to be of use, and congratulations to all those who took part.”
ATP University is typically held twice a year — alongside the Miami Open presented by Itau and the Nitto ATP Finals — but the programme has been adapted the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 1,100 past and present ATP Tour players have graduated from the program. Any player in his first year of ATP Tour Division I membership is required to attend ATP University. Players inside the Top 200 of the FedEx ATP Rankings and Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Doubles Rankings are eligible for the membership.
Yesterday ATPTour.com looked back at three of the best Grand Slam comebacks of the season. Now, continuing our review of the 2021 season, we will complete the top five with the two best Grand Slam match comebacks of 2021, featuring top five stars Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
2) Roland Garros, Final, Novak Djokovic d. Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
The effort required to beat Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros comes at a price. When Robin Soderling did it in 2009 he fell in the final, as did Novak Djokovic six years later.
In 2015, after upsetting Nadal in the quarter-finals, Djokovic fell one match shy of completing the career Grand Slam against Stan Wawrinka. That first Roland Garros title came a year later, and five years on, he became the first man to beat the Spaniard twice in Paris.
The Serbian required more than four hours to subdue defending champion Nadal less than two days earlier. Now one match win from a second Roland Garros crown, he came up against first-time major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Greek had weathered his own battle in the semi-finals after he let a two-set lead slip before he righted his ways and stormed home in the deciding set against Alexander Zverev. It was the first time he had passed the semi-finals of a major on his fourth attempt. Djokovic, 11 years his senior, was through to his 19th Grand Slam final, his sixth in Paris and his third straight this season.
Djokovic was not without his chances in a 70-minute opening set after he failed to serve it out at 6-5 and missed a set point in the subsequent tie-break before Tsitsipas clinched it. In 30-degree heat, the World No. 1 appeared strained as he surrendered his opening serve of the second set and when he conceded it 6-2 it was clear the weight of history was bearing down.
Only five players before him in the Open Era had recovered from a two-set deficit to win a Grand Slam final. Never before had the 34-year-old done it, but he had bounced back from two sets down once already this tournament against #NextGen ATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the fourth round.
The pivotal break came in the fourth game of the third set and from there Tsitsipas looked increasingly vulnerable as his opponent’s confidence only grew. The Serbian had regained the mental and physical edge as he levelled at two sets apiece. As the match passed the four-hour mark in the fifth set, Djokovic saved break points for the last time.
He secured his place in history on his second championship point 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. He was the first man to win all majors twice in the Open Era and closed to within one Grand Slam title of Roger Federer’s and Nadal’s all-time mark.
“I couldn’t be happier and more satisfied with this kind of scenario in the last 48 hours,” said Djokovic after the four-hour 11-minute final. “Probably ranks at the top three all‑time achievements and experiences that I had in my professional tennis career.”
Defeat ended Nadal’s hopes of pulling clear of Federer with a 21st major and consigned him to a seventh Australian Open quarter-final exit. Tsitsipas was only the second player after Fabio Fognini at the 2015 US Open who had beaten Nadal from two sets down at a major.
“I missed a couple of balls in the [third set] tie-break that I could not miss if I wanted to win… I think Stefanos played great in the fourth and fifth sets,” Nadal said. “I think I stayed positive all the time during the match, fighting. And [it] was not enough.”
Read more from our Best of 2021 series here.
1) Australian Open, QF, Stefanos Tsitsipas d. Rafael Nadal 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 7-5
Following a breakthrough run to the Australian Open semi-finals in 2019, when he dethroned his idol Roger Federer en route, Stefanos Tsitsipas had been earmarked as a potential successor to the Big Three on the Grand Slam stages. The Greek had since entrenched himself in the Top 5 and played himself comfortably into the second week at Melbourne Park, after he survived a five-set scare against Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round.
For the 13th time in the past 15 years, his opponent – 20-time major champion Nadal – was through to the Australian Open quarter-finals. The second seed had not dropped a set, a run that included a dominant fourth-round dismissal of 16th seed Fabio Fognini in which he conceded only nine games.
Melbourne had been plunged back into a snap five-day lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so the pair squared off before an empty Rod Laver Arena under the lights. It mattered not to the Spaniard as he looked headed for a comfortable victory after he secured the opening two sets in 81 minutes.
Photo Credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
To say things looked bleak for Tsitsipas would be a gross understatement. In his career, Nadal had only failed once to close out a match after leading two sets to love.
The two could not be separated on serve throughout a 54-minute third set and it was the Greek who reeled off four of the last five points to land the tie-break. The fifth seed was determined to extend his stay and continued to press on Nadal’s serve, while he had increasingly fewer problems on his own in the fourth set, as he levelled the contest after two hours and 12 minutes.
Nadal had fallen just once in eight ATP Head2Head encounters with his opponent and had been in this situation countless times before in his career. Momentum was hard to come by in the deciding set as neither conjured up a break point until the 11th game when Nadal dropped serve for only the second time.
It handed Tsitsipas a chance to serve for the match at 6-5 and in the tensest game of the final set, he steadied to secure his passage on his third match point 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 7-5 after four hours and five minutes.
“I’m speechless,” Tsitsipas said on court. “I have no words to describe what just happened. It’s an unbelievable feeling to be able to fight at such a level and just be able to give it my all on the court.
“I started very nervous, I won’t lie, but I don’t know what happened after the third set. I just flew like a little bird, everything was working for me. The emotions at the end are indescribable.”
Scotland and England’s top male tennis stars will gather in Aberdeen to compete in the Battle of the Brits – and you can watch live on the BBC.
