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Patna : Three-time champion and World No 2 Rafael Nadal, 33, Spain, and World No 5 Daniil Medvedev, 23, Russia, will clash in the men’s singles final of US Open at New York City, USA, on September 9, 2019, with both of them winning their semi-final matches in straight sets on September 7, 2019, early morning.
Nadal will be playing his 5th US Open final while Medvedev will be playing his first Grand Slam final. Nadal is bidding for his 19th Grand Slam title. Nadal leads Medvedev 1-0 Head to Head. The Spaniard had beaten Medvedev in Rogers Cup final at Montreal, Canada, 6-3, 6-0 on August 12, 2019.
Second seed Nadal beat big serving World No 25 Matteo Berrettini, 23, Italy, 7-6, 6-4, 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the semi-finals in over 2 hr 31 minutes winning 4 break points in the match besides winning 4 games in a row. Berrettini, however, put up strong fight in the first two sets and had 2 set points in the first set. Berrettini, in fact, led 4-0 in the first set tiebreak. But, Nadal destroyed Berrettini in the third set.
The Spaniard, who had won US Open title in 2010, 2013, and 2017, committed 18 unforced errors in the match to 44 by the Italian. Berrettini fired 9 Aces in the match to 4 by the Spaniard. Nadal committed 3 double faults to 2 by Berrettini. The Italian won 69 service points to 62 by the 2nd seed. Nadal’s winning percentage both on his first and second serve ( 90 % & 81 %) was, however, much higher than that of Berrettini (68% & 42 %).
But, Nadal will have to improve his conversion rate on break points against Medvedev in the US Open final. In the semi-finals, Nadal had 16 break point opportunities but could convert only 4 though even that was enough. It was the first meeting between the two players.
Medvedev, the hottest player ATP tour in 2019 having won the Cincinnati Masters and reaching final of Rogers Cup and City Open, Washington, USA, beat World No 78 Grigor Dimitrov, 28, Bulgaria, a former Top 10 player, 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the semi-finals to make his first Grand Slam final.
Medvedev won 5 break points to 3 by Dimitrov. The Russian fired 10 Aces in the match to 2 by the Bulgarian. Medvedev though also committed 8 double faults in the match to 2 by Dimitrov. Medvedev’s winning percentage both on his first and second serve ( 75 % & 56 %) was much higher than that of Dimitrov ( 66 % & 46 %).
Both the players won 3 games each in a row in the match. The Russian won 71 service points to 55 by the Bulgarian. Medvedev had 9 break point opportunities and he converted 5 of them