The recently concluded Nitto ATP world tour finals was slugfest giving us many marathon matches to remember. A contest between top 8 players of the season was always going to be nail biting but the recent tournament also indicated that the change of guard in Men’s tennis may be approaching fast.
We look back at 3 best matches of this season ending tournament.
3. Djokovic Vs Thiem: Group Stage
The clash of these 2 heavyweights always has a recipe for a great match. Thiem and Djokovic met in London after having played a marathon at Paris 5 months earlier. They took off from where they left at Roland Garros.
The 1st set itself gave a picture of power packed rallies, immortal defensive skills and clean backhand winners. The 1st set went to a tie-breaker which Novak took by a slim margin of 7 games to 5. Thiem rallied back and won the 2nd set 6-3 and thus taking the match to a 3rd set decider.
The final set again saw each player raising his game to outdo the other. No player was able to break the other’s serve. It finally came to a tie-breaker which this time was taken by the Austrian. Thiem was thus able to back up his earlier success against Federer by another high profile win. He had the best possible start to the tournament.
Stays on 3rd on our list of 3 best matches of Nitto ATP Finals 2019.
2. Nadal Vs Medvedev: Group Stage
Rafa Nadal and Daniil Medvedev had met 2 times in 2019 with the Spaniard taking both the wins. With Nadal having some discomfort at the abdomen and the indoors not being his favorite surface, it looked that the Russian had finally arrived at the occasion to defeat his Spanish rival.
When Medvedev took the 1st set in a tie breaker, after Nadal having squandered many break points, it finally appeared as the Russian was in for a win. Nadal however is known for his grit and never giving up spirit. The Spaniard rallied back and won the 2nd set.
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In the deciding set, Nadal again had his chance, only to spoil them. A tie break was a fitting end to this immensely tight contest. Nadal appeared in the zone and took the tie breaker this time, keeping his chance of a semi-final spot open.
Stays on 2nd on our list of 3 best matches of Nitto ATP Finals 2019.
1. Thiem Vs Tsitsipas: The Final
The final match of the tournament turned to be the best one. Two future stars Dominic Thiem of Austria and Stefanos Tstsipas of Greece both having had a dream 2019 locked horns for the last prize.
The next 3 hours were a treat for tennis fans all over the world. The Austrian had been the best player of the tournament so far having defeated both Federer and Djokovic back to back at the group stage. He took the 1st set in a tie breaker and looked to add another big title to his March win at Indian Wells.
Tsitsipas however is too talented and determined a player to be counted out. He dominated the 2nd set breaking the Thiem serve twice. There was so less to differentiate the 2 players in the deciding 3rd set. A tie break was in where both began to falter on their serves.
The Greek would however go ahead by the narrowest of the margins and win the biggest title of his young but already booming career. Stays atop our list of 3 best matches of Nitto ATP Finals 2019.