Rafa Nadal's story in Paris-Bercy will continue without a successful conclusion for another year. It is one of the 1,000 Masters that resists him (along with Miami and Shanghai), sometimes because he arrived exhausted after a hard course and others because he could not even dispute it. On this occasion he was presented with the opportunity to contest it with better physical conditions than ever due to the reduction of the season due to the coronavirus, but in the semifinals came across the best possible version of Alexander Zverev, a mix of quality, power (37 winners), precision (18 unforced errors), tactics and, most of all, improved mentality.
It is inevitable to think about the positive effect that his professional relationship with the great David Ferrer seems to have had on himA rock as a player who watched the 23-year-old German's success in the empty stands of the Accor Arena in the French capital while taking notes in a notebook. The man from Alicante faced Nadal 32 times and won only six, but he knows him very well. Zverev, who had already beaten the Spanish in 2019 and easily at the ATP Finals in London (also indoors, took good advantage of his coach's advice to win 6-4 and 7-5 and get into his seventh final in the category, in search of a fourth title. He is on a 12-win streak with two consecutive successes in Cologne. This Sunday (15:00, #Vamos) Daniil Medvedev awaits him, who got rid of Milos Raonic (6-4 and 7-6 (4).
Zverev gave Nadal no option with his serve in the first set. He managed with 78% first and with them only lost three points (18/21) in a tremendous aggregate of seven. The Spaniard rested close to the line, more than what is usual for him and in that way he did not find a way to hurt an agile and fast opponent, who did not catch himself as on other occasions and did not make a double fault. He was not even worried about Rafa's cut setbacks, which he lifted on most occasions despite having to descend from his 198 centimeters high. That with an impeccable attitude: not a bad face or bad gesture. His sensations, strange in the first game, gave way to an insurmountable solidity and power. A break in the third game decided the fate of the opening set because Nadal was not able to create a single break opportunity.
In the second heat, the breaking point for Zverev reached the same heights as the previous one and again it was enough to get ahead. They painted clubs and in what way for the number two in the world, cornered and without solutions. He tried to look for them and the first thing he tried was to subtract from further back, to try and provoke longer exchanges. To this Sascha responded with integrity and another breaking ball. Nadal saved her with two good serves and the game went on. The distance in the remains gave wings to the manacorí, in his sauce to be able to rally. And his first break option arrived. It disappeared due to the mental resistance of Zverev, who was about to sentence on the fast track, with quality claws. And he would have done it if he hadn't faced an opponent who never gives up, at least not easily. By race he equaled the set with his first break, the result of that tactical change that worked due to wear and tear. Then he closed his serve blank and his opponent answered him with equal forcefulness. The duel entered a certain logical order until a genius of the Teuton, who hooked a volley that fell on the opposite court after bouncing over the tape, he put him in a position to win the game with his serve.
Rafael Nadal
vs
Alexander Zverev
Sets: