Daniil Medvedev, the rival who can only see Rafa Nadal as an ogre

At the last US Open,

acknowledged that in the dangerous moments before a victory, when the proximity of a victory can upset him, think of

and concentrates again to ensure success.

Spanish, as an example;

Spanish, as I remember.

Nadal has taught all tennis players the importance of competing to the last ball, but in particular Medvedev has been forever tattooed that matches are not held in advance.

To his despair, twice the Russian came close to beating him and twice he ended up losing.

This Saturday the two meet again in the semifinals of the ATP Finals (9:00 p.m., #Vamos) with those precedents as a context: Will Medvedev tremble if he can finally win against Nadal for the first time in his life?

It would be strange if he didn't.

Because those two losses are among the most important of his career.

"I sincerely hope I never experience another match like that one," the Russian commented a few months ago about the most painful, just a year ago, in the group stage of the same ATP Finals.

Then Medvedev had it all going for him, going 5-1 in the third set, and he was undone by Nadal's comeback.

Complaints, complaints and more complaints he launched at the chair umpire because he did not know how to react in any other way.

"I thought I was going to win the game," he admitted, although like him, everyone.

A decided match changed the winner.

Something unusual that had already happened in 2019 in another duel between Nadal and Medvedev.

In the final of the US Open, the most important match for the Russian, he dominated the fifth set thanks to a commendable effort until the Spanish turned the score for his 19th Grand Slam.

From less to more in 2020

In this 2020, at 24 years old, Medvedev has confirmed his status as number four in the world ranking, only behind Djokovic, Nadal and

, although he has gone from less to more.

From a return from the irregular pandemic to remarkable form now, with the title at the Masters 1000 in Paris and the lead in the group stage of the ATP Finals.

His two-set wins against

and Novak Djokovic once again confirmed his skills, although he still suffers against the greats.

Except for Nole, whom he has beaten three times, the Russian has the same trauma with

as with Nadal.

"Even on his bad days, it is very difficult to beat the

" he admitted this Friday after training at the O2 Arena in London and being asked, again, about his background with the Spanish.

Nadal, meanwhile, also prepared himself with his coaches,

and

, praised Medvedev's tennis and avoided getting into the controversy of the day.

Although, by calendar, he should play the first round of the semifinals, the organization decided to pass him to the second, so if he qualifies for the final, he will arrive there with less than 24 hours of rest.

"Someone has to play that turn," he already said something else.

Shortly before, the other group of the tournament had been resolved, with Medvedev as first and with Djokovic and Zverev as contenders for second place.

The Serbian won who, after his last hesitations, regained his seriousness to impose himself by trade.

With a consistent first serve, he withstood the anarchic Zverev's push in a second set in which he wasn't actually the best.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

• Rafael Nadal

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