Rafael Nadal reached his 25th Major final at the 2019 Australian Open. Rafa delivered a dominating 6-2 6-4 6-0 semi-final victory over young Stefanos Tsitsipas at Rod Laver Arena in one hour and 46 minutes. Tsitsipas played well and set his sights on his first Major final at the age of 20.
However, he could only do so much against the more experienced opponent, playing impatient tennis and doing well only in the second set. Nadal dominated the serve and return and kept the youngster under constant pressure. With his new serve working like a charm, the Spaniard lost 12 points after the initial blow in the entire game!
He faced break point as he served for the 5-0 win in the third set and never lost focus in another emphatic triumph. On the other hand, Rafa won 43% of the return points. He tamed Stefanos’ serve and converted 11 break points on six serve breaks, more than enough to control the score.
Nadal finished the match with 28 winners and 14 unforced errors. He did everything right and kept Stefanos to a 17-22 run, insufficient for a more favorable result. Unlike against Roger Federer in the fourth round, Tsitsipas was no more than a shadow on the court for most of the match.
He did not find spaces to place his blows or figure out how to steal momentum from Rafa and impose the blows that had propelled him to the semifinal. Nadal only lost three points on serve in the opening set.
Paul McNamee on Rafa Nadal
In remarks to the Sydney Morning Herald, former world number 1 in doubles Paul McNamee has expressed concern over Rafael Nadal with ten days to go before the start of the Australian Open where he will attempt to defend his title.
“His abdominal injury is believed to be affecting his ball throwing, but what worries me the most is that he recently admitted he needs to be a bit quicker physically. Coverage has always been a major asset for Nadal but, cruelly to say, I fear he has lost a yard.
So as time goes on, and to be fair, at 36 he is only a year older than Djokovic, winning the Australian Open will be much more difficult for Nadal. As the defending champion and world number 2, he is certainly in the running. However, for Aussies wanting to see the great Spaniard, I suggest enjoying it while you can.”
