US Open Final As It Happens: Rafael Nadal vs. Daniil Medvedev

Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev are competing in the final of the US Open. For Nadal, this is an opportunity to lift his fourth trophy in Flushing Meadows and move within one of Roger Federer's record 20 Grand Slam singles titles. This is Medvedev's first major championship match, and he enters the clash with a 20-2 record during the North American summer hard-court swing.

The pair met for the first time in the final of the Coupe Rogers last month, when Nadal won 6-3, 6-0 to take a 1-0 lead in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. Follow ATPTour.com’s set-by-set analysis of the match.

Set 1
In Montreal, Nadal saved a break point in the first game of the match, and was rarely troubled after that. This time, however, Medvedev got off to a perfect start. Despite missing a backhand return into the net in the first game to let slip a break chance, the Russian maintained his pressure, breaking in his next return game when Nadal curled a neutral forehand into the bottom of the net.

Nadal, who entered the final having dropped only one set this fortnight, bounced back immediately, benefitting from back-to-back backhand errors off the Cincinnati champion’s racquet to get back on serve. It seemed the legendary lefty might seize control as Medvedev served to even the match at 4-4. Nadal earned three break points that game, but the Russian showed no fear, winning a rapid volley exchange, serve and volleying for the first time in the match and then leaping into a backhand approach shot that he struck for a winner.

After he got broken in his second service game, Nadal got into a rhythm, winning 14 consecutive service points, a streak that lasted until 5-5. And eventually Nadal's unrelenting pressure paid dividends. After saving the first set point he faced when Nadal cut a backhand slice into the net, Medvedev could not stave off the second, reaching for a high backhand volley and sending it into the ground.

Both players have stood several meters behind the baseline to return first serves, and by doing so they have been able to get a lot of balls back into play. Nadal threw in a handful of no-pace loopy groundstrokes, seemingly to change the rhythm of the point against Medvedev. And at the end of the set, the Spaniard began to increase the aggression with his forehand.

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/3177Qwf