Nadal, Nishikori, Medvedev reach SFs of ATP Barcelona Open 2019

Speed Post News Network

Patna : Top seed and 11 time champion Rafael Nadal, Spain, 4th seed Kei Nishikori, Japan, and 7th seed Daniil Medvedev, Russia, advanced to the semi-finals of ATP Barcelona Open on April 26, 2019.

World No 2 Nadal beat World No 51 Jan Lenard-Struff, 28, Germany, in a tough contest 7-5, 7-5 in 1hr 43 minutes in the quarter-finals at Real Club de Tennis Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Nadal broke Struff’s service three times in the match while the latter broke his service once.

Nadal’s winning percentage on his second serve (87%) was much higher than that of Jan Lennar-Struff  ( 55%). But, Struff’s winning percentage on his first serve (82 %) was higher than that of Nadal ( 73%). Nadal fired 3 Aces in the match to 9 by Struff. But, Struff also committed 5 double faults. Both the players won 3 games each in a row in the match. Struff had stunned World No 8 Stefanos Tsitsipas, 20, Greece, in the Round of 16.

World No 7 and two-time former champion Nishikori beat World No 104 Roberto Carballes Baena, 26, Spain, 6-4, 7-5 in 1 hr 53 minutes in the quarter-finals. Nishikori broke Baena’s service twice in the match besides winning 3 games in a row. Baena though fired 5 Aces in the match to just 1 by Nishikori.

World No 14 Medvedev, 23, who had reached the final of ATP Monte-Carlo Masters, Monaco, last week, beat World No 81 Nicolas Jarry, 23, Chile,  6-3, 6-4 in the quarter-finals. Medvedev fired 5 Aces in the match to none by Jarry. But, he also committed 4 double faults to just 1 by Jarry. Medvedev also won 2 break points.

Medvedev’s winning percentage on both his first and second serve (92% 7 68%) was much higher than that of Jarry (58 % & 58 %). Medvedev also won 3 games in a row in the match. Medvedev will play Nishikori in the SFs on April 27, 2019.