Rafa Nadal imposed with tremendous authority on Karen Khachanov in his premiere at the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament (6-1, 6-3) where on Saturday he will play the final against Stefanos Tsitsipas, executioner of Novak Djokovic.
The 'number one' of the world solved in 90 minutes the game, without giving options to the Russian, with whom he can already boast an 8-0 in direct duels. Less than a month after raising the sixth Salad Bowl with Spain, Nadal was able to impose again the aggressiveness and consistency of his tennis.
After saving a first game committed to his service, the winner of 19 majors began to put margin on the scoreboard with a break in the fourth. Khachanov could not even offer the dignified resistance offered during the recent Davis Cup qualifier in Madrid.
Tsitsipas comeback
Nadal did not lift the accelerator's foot in the second round, when he broke from the start and only suffered a couple of breaking balls in the seventh game. Solved that trance, the road to the final was expedited for the Balearic.
On Saturday, Tsitsipas awaits, capable of tracing Djokovic in a two-hour semifinal (3-6, 7-6 [4], 6-4). The third victory of the Greek in the five clashes against Nole.
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