The stage is set for the final showdown in the ATP season as the top eight men’s tennis players in the world prepare do battle in the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals.
Aside from the $9,000,000 in prize money that’s up for grabs, the elite eight will also be fighting for the right to be called the “best of the best.”
The Big 3 of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer will claim most of the headlines this week. Although, Nadal is making them for the wrong reasons as an injury has put his participation in doubt.
But SBOBET tennis fans shouldn’t forget about the trio of newcomers who are ready to make their mark in the season-ending tournament.
Rafael Nadal’s abdominal injury puts status in doubt
Rafael Nadal’s status for the Nitto ATP Finals is in question due to an abdominal injury.
The Spaniard suffered the injury in last week’s Paris Masters and was forced to pull out of his semi-final matchup with Denis Shapovalov.
Prior to his injury, Nadal had defeated Adrian Mannarino, Stan Wawrinka, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga without dropping a set.
Despite his injury, Nadal remains hopeful he can be ready to compete in the tournament.
“Ok, I’m in London happy to be here,” Nadal tweeted. “Taking it day by day after Paris (small abdominal tear). I need to see how things go, started serving yesterday very slowly. Right now the main goal is to be ready on Monday following the protocols that the doctor gave me.”
Nadal is in the Andre Agassi group along with Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and defending champion Alexander Zverev. Nadal’s first assignment will be against Zverev on Monday.
Nadal will have a lot to play for in London this year. He has a chance to clinch the year-end world No. 1 for the fifth time in his career over rival Novak Djokovic.
He’s also searching for his very first ATP Finals title, which is a surprising stat. He’s finished runner-up in this tournament twice (2010 and 2013).
However, the fact that Nadal will be playing with an injury will make his quest for that first title all the more difficult. Stay tuned to the Nitto ATP Finals 2019 updates on Nadal’s health in the coming days.
Roger Federer faces tough first test
While Nadal is still searching for his first ATP Finals title, Roger Federer is eager to add to his record six titles in the season-ending tournament.
However, it’s been a while since the Swiss master has won the tournament. He last claimed the title in 2011 and was runner-up in 2012, 2014, and 2015.
And Federer’s first test for title No. 1 won’t be easy as he faces Dominic Thiem. The Austrian holds the 4-2 edge over Federer in their career head-to-head, including a win in this year’s Indian Wells Masters final. Although, Federer did beat Thiem in straight sets in their round-robin meeting in last year’s ATP Finals.
But this year, Thiem has his sights set on making the semi-finals for the first time.
“Of course that’s my big goal. The first two years it was just so nice to be here even and last year I wanted to be in the semi-finals badly, but I didn’t play that well. I think I’m playing way better this year, but the level is so high, it’s the eight best guys of the season, so it can also happen that I play three very good matches and I lose three of them,” Thiem said.
Aside from Thiem, Federer is also joined in Group Bjorn Borg by world No. 2 Djokovic as well as Italian Matteo Berrettini.
Debutants look to make their mark
Of the eight participants in this year’s finals, three will be making their first trip: Berrettini, Daniil Medvedev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Berrettini, 23, admits he’s surprised to find himself in this position of competing with the very best in the sport. He will have quite the challenge ahead of him as he faces off against Novak Djokovic in the very first match of the tournament. But despite the Nitto ATP Finals 2019 odds being firmly against him, he’s just looking forward to the experience.
“I’ve never played him, so it’s going to be all new: the atmosphere, the finals, him. It’s going to be a huge, huge experience, a huge moment for me for my career. But like I did the previous years, I’m really looking forward to learn something, [I am going] to put a lot of effort [like I did] to put myself in this situation,” Berrettini said.
Meanwhile, Medvedev and Tsitsipas will face off against one another to start their tournament. Medvedev is hoping this will be the first of many battles to come with his fellow young stars.
“Hopefully, we’re going to have a lot of matches to come throughout our careers, in the later stages of the tournament,” Medvedev said. “Hopefully we can have a lot of great matches to come.”
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