Nadal back from the brink at the O2 as Medvedev implodes

Rafael Nadal staged a stunning comeback on day four of the Nitto ATP Finals to keep his chances alive of reaching Saturday’s semi-finals.

The number one seed has looked out of sorts this week at the O2 Arena as he recovers from an abdominal strain which has threatened to deny him the year-ending world number one ranking.

Beaten in his opening match by the German Alexander Zverev on Monday, he looked down and out in Wednesday’s follow up against the Russian Daniil Medvedev.

He trailed 4-0 in the deciding set and only survived a third break of serve by the skin of his teeth, somehow managing to recover two more break points. And then, at 1-5 on his next serve, Nadal saved a match point with a perfectly executed drop shot, before beginning to reel in his opponent.

Nadal, who his never won these season-ending championships, suddenly found his focus and range, cutting out the unforced errors as he sensed a fightback was on.

Medvedev visibly unravelled. The pair have met just twice before, both times this year and both times with Nadal emerging the winner. It was clearly preying on the Russian’s mind. With each ragged shot he gestured imploringly to his box and supporters, at a loss about how to stop the rot.

Nadal surged on to lead 6-5 and appeared poised to make it a third break of serve in a row after leading 30-0. Somehow, Medvedev regrouped to take it to a tie-break, but there was only going to be one winner after that. Nadal took it 7-4, delighting an audience which seemed universally behind him.

After being perilously close to elimination in the battle of the tennis world’s top eight men, Nadal now knows he has a chance of making the last four with a win in his final group match against Stefanos Tsitsipas tomorrow.

Earlier, Medvedev had looked so assured, deservedly taking the first set 7-3 in a first set tie break, with Nadal taking the second set 6-3 after breaking in the first game and keeping his nose in front. But the third set appeared to be running away from him. Until it wasn’t.

“This match is one of those that one time out of 1,000 you win,” Nadal said. “Honestly, I was super lucky.”

Tsitsipas made it two wins in two when he comfortably defeated Zverev 6-3, 6-2  in yesterday’s other group match to book his place in the semis.

Nadal will join him if he beats Tsitsipas and Medvedev beats Zverev. A win for Zverev would take the German through, although he could still make it if he loses in three sets and Tsitsipas defeats Nadal.

Today, in the other pool, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic go head to head this evening  in a straight battle to reach the semi-finals – the winner joining an already-qualified Dominic Thiem. Thiem plays the eliminated Matteo Berrettini in the afternoon contest.