David slays Goliath at ATP Cup
Sydney, Jan. 10: Rafael Nadal suffered an upset singles loss but made amends in the doubles to keep Spain alive at the ATP Cup on Friday, with Novak Djokovic also surviving a scare before rallying to guide Serbia into a semifinal against Russia.
After Roberto Bautista Agut swept past Kimmer Coppejans 6-1, 6-4 in the first singles match, Nadal had the chance to wrap up a last four berth against David Goffin.
But the 19-time Grand Slam winner struggled in the heat and humidity of Sydney, crashing 4-6, 6-7 (3/7) to the 11th-ranked Belgium. It was a rare defeat while playing for his country, who he helped to victory in the Davis Cup in November.
It sent the tie to a decisive doubles match, with Nadal returning to partner Pablo Carreno Busta against Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen in a gritty 6-7 (7/9), 7-5, 10-7 win.
Spain’s group games during the round-robin phase of the inaugural team event were played in Perth, where the air was much drier.
Nadal, who had not dropped a set this year before meeting Goffin, was dripping in sweat for much of his singles match and used ice towels at the changeovers.
He struggled to find his rhythm, giving away nine break points in the first set.
Goffin had two more break points to go 5-3 up in the second, but Nadal clung on and became more offensive to take the match to a tiebreak before the Belgian closed it out for one of the biggest wins in his career.
Spain will face Australia in the last four.
Like Nadal, World No.2 Djokovic was also tested, dropping his first set of the tournament in a titanic struggle with Canada’s Denis Shapovalov.
The Serbian superstar was made to work by the
14th-ranked young gun before prevailing 4-6, 6-1, 7-6
(7/4) to help his team to a 30 win.
“It was so close it could have gone a different way easily,” said Djokovic.
The victory set up a semifinal against Russia, whose two singles players — World
No.5 Daniil Medvedev and the 17th ranked Karen Khachanov — are unbeaten this season.
Djokovic faced Shapovalov four times last year and won each match comfortably.