2020 Nitto ATP Finals – Daniil Medvedev vs Rafael Nadal Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Daniil Medvedev vs Rafael Nadal on and what time does it start? Saturday 21st November, 2020 – 20:00 (UK)
Where is Daniil Medvedev vs Rafael Nadal taking place? The O2 Arena, London
What channel is Daniil Medvedev vs Rafael Nadal on? This match will not be televised live in the UK
Where can I stream Daniil Medvedev vs Rafael Nadal? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream the match via Amazon Prime Video
Where can I get tickets for Daniil Medvedev vs Rafael Nadal? The Nitto ATP Finals will be played without spectators
THE LOWDOWN
DANIIL MEDVEDEV
- Daniil Medvedev became the only player at the ATP Finals to win all three of his group stage matches with a comprehensive straight-sets victory over Diego Schwartzman.
- The world number four had already secured his place in the semi-finals as Group Tokyo 1970’s first seed into the semi-finals with two straight-sets defeats of Alexander Zverev and, emphatically, Novak Djokovic.
- The 24-year-old seems fully tuned-in to reversing his fortunes after last year’s ATP Finals when he lost steam in the first round of the Paris Masters and lost all three of his round robin matches in tetchy defeats.
RAFAEL NADAL
- Rafael Nadal was more in control of his match against the defending ATP Finals champion than a three-set win suggests, as the Greek snuck the second set out from under the Spaniard’s nose.
- The 34-year-old would be the oldest winner of the ATP Finals title in what is his 10th campaign here and it would be an incredible achievement in his least-favourite conditions.
- The world number two beat Medvedev in last year’s group stage over three sets but just missed out on the semi-finals cut to Alexander Zverev.
THE PREDICTION
If there was a stage big enough for Daniil Medvedev’s first victory over Rafael Nadal, it is this one at the O2 arena where an atmosphere has been created without fans to make some enthralling matches. It will be hard for the pair to overshadow the Thiem vs Nadal and Medvedev vs Djokovic matches but this could well be the best we see this week as we enter the knockout phase of the tournament. World number two Nadal has never lost to Medvedev over three previous encounters, with two of those finals at the Rogers Cup and US Open last year. That US Open, especially, was a modern classic and could go some way to fuelling the fire for this encounter. The round robin loss at last year’s ATP Finals was against Medvedev in a low ebb and still the Russian managed to take the first set off the Spaniard before losing. There is no question that Medvedev is now at full-power. That could be an option in the markets here, if a result is too close to call, with Medvedev able to shock Nadal early with his in-form intensity. He could well take the first set before a spirited comeback from Nadal but, having watched the Spaniard against Tsitsipas and Thiem this week, it seems that this is the moment for a first Russian win. The world number four left Djokovic baffled in the group stage and he can leave Nadal rueful in the semi-finals with a defining win here.
