Tennis news - Nadal produces comeback to set up clash with Djokovic's Serbia in AT Cup final

Rafael Nadal secured a come-back victory against Australia's Alex De Minaur at the ATP Cup in Sydney on Saturday, propelling Spain into the final of the inaugural event to play the Novak Djokovic-led Serbian team.

The world's top ranked player was ambushed early by the young Australian, who threatened to run away with the match, before the Spaniard recovered to win 4-6 7-5 6-1.

• Watch 2020 Australian Open LIVE on Eurosport: All you need to know
• Young guns set to shine at Adelaide as De Minaur tops seedings

Earlier in the evening, Roberto Bautista Agut played a near flawless match to defeat a misfiring Nick Kyrgios 6-1 6-4, giving Spain an unassailable lead going into the doubles match.

ATP Madrid

'Trying to enjoy every moment' - Nadal continues comeback with dominant win over Blanch

an hour ago

The top 20-ranked De Minaur, who had previously not won a set against the Spaniard, threw his wiry frame at every shot, breaking Nadal's serve in the first game of the match before going on to take the set.

Alex de Minaur of Australia plays a backhand volley during his semi-final singles match against Rafael Nadal of Spain during day nine of the 2020 ATP Cup

Image credit: Getty Images

The 20-year-old hopped into his backhands, such was his determination to throw himself forward, and launched into the air to hit his punishing forehands.

Nadal, one of the most dangerous players to serve against, remarkably did not earn a break point on the Australian's serve until late in the second set, which he converted despite enjoying little momentum up until that point.

"He had a lot of energy, he plays with a lot of passion, sometimes a little too much," Nadal said.

Spain has had a punishing schedule leading into the match, which included finishing the previous tie against Belgium in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Nadal

Image credit: Getty Images

Nadal reeled off four straight games at the start of the third to set up the victory as De Minaur's error count rose, and the Spaniard found his range.

In the other semi-final, Djokovic played strong tactical tennis to overcome the enigmatic Russian Daniil Medvedev, to secure Serbia's spot in the final.

The Serbian won the match 6-1 5-7 6-4 after he relentlessly pushed the 198cm (6.5 ft) tall Russian around the court, forcing Medvedev to constantly scrape shots off his shoe laces.

Earlier, Serbia's Dusan Lajovic beat his more highly ranked opponent, Russia's Karen Khachanov, giving Serbia an unassailable 2-0 lead going into the doubles match.

Less than two weeks out from the Australian Open, Djokovic gave the world's top players a possible blueprint on how to beat the 23-year-old Russian who has been regularly toppling the game's elite.

While Medvedev's slapping forehand, flat backhand and big serve have proven hard to counter, Djokovic used dropshots and low slicing backhands to pull the world number five into awkward places.

Medvedev's long reach was nullified at the net with the Serbian regularly choosing to land shots at the Russian's shoes rather than aim for a clean pass.

The tactical play, however, is easier said than done against the powerful Russian who was undefeated at the ATP Cup going into the match.

Djokovic said his tactics worked for a set before his opponent responded. Djokovic said after the match:

"He started figuring out the strategy and I had to adjust and I had to change."

After the early success, the Serbian conceded four straight games in the second set, which he went on to lose.

Djokovic destroyed a racquet as his form drifted off and his energy stores appeared depleted even though the players were enjoying a respite from the intense heat that has been fuelling bushfires across Australia.

The introduction of the ATP Cup to the southern hemisphere calendar has created the most gruelling and entertaining start to the Australian tennis season in memory, as top players chase prize money, ranking points and a team trophy rather than play in grand slam warm-up events.

Not for the first time this tournament, a vocal pro-Serbian crowd lifted their hero in the decider.

Djokovic secured a break of serve in the fifth game when Medvedev chose to try and wrong-foot the fatigued Serbian, rather than playing into the open court.

The decision proved costly. Djokovic's serve held firm for the remainder, which ended when the Russian netted a groundstroke.

ATP Madrid

Nadal reveals French Open doubts, says he 'wouldn't play if it was today'

Yesterday at 17:02

ATP Madrid

Alcaraz admits he was 'so scared' when he first played Nadal

Yesterday at 11:20

ATP Madrid

Nadal to face 16-year-old in Madrid opener - when is the match and what's his draw?

Yesterday at 08:39