Nadal and Djokovic meet again in Turin

Nobody among those present has won a place in the ATP Finals as many times as

, 17 years old in the select squad of the eight best of the course, although the cup still resists him.

No one among those who yesterday stood tall at the Gallerie d'Italia in Turán has been crowned master like

, five-time champion of a tournament that, however, has denied him the cup since 2015.

was absent due to the injury suffered against Hulger Rune in the quarterfinals of the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000, the old warriors regain much of the prominence.

Accustomed to litigating on numerous fronts each season, Nadal and Djokovic have only met in five tournaments so far: Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Paris-Bercy.

In fact, his series of 59 matches (30-29 for the Serbian) only included one this year: the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, in which the left-hander prevailed, en route to his fourteenth title, 6-2, 4-6. , 6-2 and 7-6 (4).

's restricted calendar

due to his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid has prevented them from living together in the paintings as before.

The Pala Alpitur in Turin, which hosts the ATP Finals for the second consecutive year starting this Sunday, once again portrays them together, although it would be necessary to wait at least for some hypothetical semifinals to see their rackets cross.

Indoor Progression

“In recent years I think I have improved in a significant way on this type of surface [indoor track].

I think that in 2020, when I lost to

, it was the clearest opportunity of my career », Nadal commented this Friday, remembering his defeat against the Russian in the semifinals.

He came closer to ultimate victory twice, in the 2010 finals against

and in the 2013 finals against Djokovic.

Framed in the Green Group, along with

(4),

(6) and

(9), Alcaraz's substitute and the man against whom he will debut this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. (Movistar), Nadal has traveled to Turin accompanied by his wife,

, and his son Rafa, born on October 8.

Since losing in the US Open round of 16 to

, he has only played one competitive match, against

, ending in a loss at Paris-Bercy.

Djokovic comes from losing against emerging

in the final of that tournament, but before that he had won Wimbledon, Tel Aviv and Astana consecutively.

The Serbian, who plays in the Red Group, along with Medvedev,

and

, seeks to equal Federer's six titles in this tournament.

In addition to vindicating himself and conquering the only high-ranking tournament he lacks, Nadal, number two in the world, would get the added reward of finishing on top for the sixth year throughout his career.

For this he would need to take the tournament by winning all of his matches.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, champion in 2018, faces the same demand if he intends to dislodge Carlos Alcaraz from first place.

Nadal, absent from these ATP Finals six times due to injury, wanted to give himself the pleasure of finishing the year competing, as he highlighted in the presentation press conference.

At 36 years old, he knows that it will get harder and harder for him to get to this graduation ceremony.

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• tennis

• Rafael Nadal

• Novak Djokovic

• Carlos Alcaraz