London (AFP)

N.1 world Rafael Nadal was largely dominated 6-2, 6-4 in 1H24 by the German Alexander Zverev for their entry in the running in the Masters, Monday in London, where the Spaniard returned to the competition after his package in Paris-Bercy.

In the other group meeting, Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Daniil Medvedev 7-6, 6-4 earlier.

Zverev, the title holder, choked under his powerful Nadal, long uncertain for the Masters, which brings together the 8 best players on the planet.

Before the meeting, the question had long been whether the Spaniard, in the fight with Novak Djokovic to finish the World No.1, could take his place. In early November, an abdominal injury had forced him to withdraw before his semi-final Masters 1000 Paris-Bercy and had mortgaged his chances of being 100% in the British capital.

He had finally said "confident that this may well be happening" in London, Friday at a press conference, to dispel doubts.

His first match did not succeed in sweeping them, even though he fell to an excellent Zverev.

After a balanced start to the match, the German broke two straight and finished the set on four consecutive games, then again took the service of his opponent at the beginning of the second inning to race in the lead and no longer let go.

Led 6-2, 3-1, Nadal saved a new break point and won his service game. He then clenched his fist and displayed the combativeness that characterizes him.

But that was not enough in front of an irreproachable Zverev on his service (0 breakthrough ball conceded).

- Djokovic's ascent -

This defeat makes even more urgent the rise of Novak Djokovic in the fight for the place of N.1 world at the end of the season. The Serbian crushed the Italian Matteo Berrettini (6-2, 6-1) at the opening of the tournament on Sunday, and thus got closer to the throne occupied by Majorquin.

With this victory, Alexander Zverev joins him, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, winner earlier Monday of the Russian Daniil Medvedev (7-6, 6-4), leading the group "Andre Agassi".

This is Tsitsipas' first victory, N.6 world, against Daniil Medvedev (N.4), who had won their first five confrontations.

In a showdown where break points were as rare as the sun in London's November skies, Tsitsipas found the break in the tie-break to pocket the first set.

The two lofty right-handers, 1.93m for the Athenian, 1.98m for the Muscovite, first continued to serve in the second run. Then, after three unfinished break points, Tsitsipas finally managed to grab one, before concluding on his service game by transforming his first match point (6-4).

"This is one of the hardest and most important victories of my career," said Stefanos Tsitsipas, who "had the impression of playing in Athens" because of the many Greek flags in the stands.

Medvedev had a very successful season with 21 wins in 22 games between August and October, but his series was stopped by a defeat in the first round of the Masters 1000 in Paris at the end of October.

© 2019 AFP