ATP Finals, Rafael Nadal with a foot and a half out

Rafael Nadal with a foot and a half out of the ATP Finals

After his debut defeat to Taylor Fritz, Rafael Nadal was looking for redemption in the second round robin match of the ATP Finals that pitted him against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, whom he had already met and defeated in the previous two matches between these players. This time, however, it was the young Canadian who prevailed, overcoming Nadal in two sets with a score of 6-3 6-4.

In the first partial, it was Rafa who was the first player to come close to the break possibility but Aliassime was good at rising twice from 15-40 in the first and seventh games. And it is in the very next game that Nadal messes up: ahead 40-0 he commits two double faults and gives up his service to the Canadian who does not let him say it twice and closes with serve for 6-3.

In the second set Aliassime, galvanized by the lead, immediately operates the break in the third game and keeps it until the final 6-4.

For Nadal now it gets really tough: the Iberian star, in order to center qualification for the semifinals, must hope for a Taylor Fritz victory by two sets to zero either tonight against Casper Ruud or Thursday against Aliassime, and in the meantime win his last match against Ruud also in two sets. At that point the difference games won/lost would count to determine the runner-up in the round, behind the winner Fritz.