Dimitrov will collapse now.
Medvedev has the double faults flowing here. Two break points for Dimitrov.
Dimitrov breaks back.
Medvedev looking weary now. Failing to get any shots over the net. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him packing it in if he loses the first set.
Dimitrov really dominating the rallies here.
Tie break. I’d fancy Dimitrov here. Playing the better tennis all told.
Medvedev steals that one.
Baby Fed breaks in the opening game of the second set.
Medvedev breaks right back.
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Medvedev breaks again. Dimitrov in big bother now.
Medvedev is a wall
First set tie break. Berritini hanging in there
Vamos.
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Just one game away from 19 now. Some lads will be apoplectic.
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Just dreaming he could be on course for 21 at the French open.
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I’ll take it one step at a time but a win over Medvedev tomorrow will make the prospects very, very good.
You can never take too much for granted with Nadal’s body, I’m just enjoying being able to see him play fit and injury free, if he can get another couple of years of that then I think he’ll do it.
He’s the 
, particularly when you consider Djokovic has 2 slams a year on his favourite surface, that grass and hard play much closer to each other than clay does to either. When you consider Federer had already 12 slams on the board when his main competition was Safin, Roddick, Hewitt, Davydenko, Nalbandian and teenage Nadal, Murray and Djokovic.
And yet Nadal could finish ahead of the lot of them in slams.
He’s the only one with the Olympic gold singles.
He’s the greatest Davis Cup player of his generation.
The most Masters 1000s titles
Just imagine that Nadal had been able to stay injury free like Federer for all those years, just imagine if clay court players weren’t discriminated by the tennis calendar? Nadal would probably be on over 30 slams.
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There will be a major asterisk beside Nadal’s inevitable win in the US Open given Djokovic’s injury during the tournament.
Why? Nadal has a superior head to head record over Djokovic at the US Open.
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Djokovic has had Nadal’s Number for nearly a decade now since 2010. Djokovic has won 5 of their last 6 Grand Slams head to heads since 2010 outside of French - Nadal’s only win there 2013 US Open. Djokovic even hammered Nadal in straight sets (7-5 6-3 6-1) the last time they met at Roland Garros in 2015 and has won their last 9 meetings outside of clay since that 2013 US Open Final.
Nadal has caught a huge break here that Djokovic got injured and he didn’t have to face him. The 6-3 6-2 6-3 hammering Djokovic inflicted on Nadal in the Australian Final back in January really illustrates the gulf in class on the hard courts that’s been there for nearly a decade now.
Nadal v Federer
Wimbledon - Federer 3-1
Roland Garros Nadal 5-0
Australia - Nadal 2-1
US - 0-0
Total
Nadal 10-4
Nadal v Djokovic
Wimbledon - Djokovic 2-1
Roland Garros - Nadal 6-1
Australia - Djokovic 2-0
US - Nadal 2-1
Total
Nadal 9-6
Despite all the nonsense wrote about Nadal being a clay court specialist. He still enjoys a head to head record better than Federer in Australia and better than Djokovic in the US and absolutely dominates them on clay in ways they can’t do to him on their best surface.
In 10 attempts outside of Wimbledon, Federer has only beaten Nadal once, wow.
In 13 attempts outside of Australia, Djokovic has only beaten Nadal 4 times, wow again.
I think you’re right in that Nadal is not the same player he was, of all the big 3 he is the one who is furthest off his peak powers from before the injuries took their toll but it’s remarkable how his game has adapted and how he still remains successful.
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