For the second time in three days Rafael Nadal has fought off one of the game’s rising powers, outlasting Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-5 to stay alive at the ATP Finals.
However the 33-year-old Spaniard will not know until later on Friday whether his Herculean effort was in vain.
His second round-robin victory meant Daniil Medvedev can no longer progress but Nadal needs the Russian to do him a favour and beat Alexander Zverev in the evening singles if he is to secure a semi-final spot from a complex group.
Should that happen, Nadal would actually top the standings and face six-time champion Roger Federer in Saturday’s semis.
If defending champion Zverev, who beat an off-key Nadal on Monday, prevails, then the Spaniard will finish third in the group and be eliminated.
Whatever the outcome, 19-time grand slam champion Nadal showed just why he will complete the year ranked world No.1 for the fifth time.
After losing a tight opening set he raised his level, unleashing a ferocious onslaught that his 21-year-old Greek opponent met head on but could not withstand.
Afternoon sessions at London’s 17,500-seat O2 Arena can sometimes be flat but Nadal, roaring his trademark “Vamos” and upper-cutting the air after crucial points, whipped the crowd to a frenzy.
Tsitsipas responded in similar fashion in a classic scrap.
Nadal is the oldest player to finish a year ranked No.1 since ATP rankings began in 1973 and he was presented with a huge trophy on court afterwards.
“Honestly, what can I say? I am super happy,” he told the crowd.
“After all the things that I went through in my career in terms of injuries, I never thought at the age of 33-and-a-half that I will have this trophy in my hands again.”
Tsitsipas was already guaranteed his semi-final place but stood toe-to-toe for nearly three hours with Nadal, whom he could even face in the final.
Nadal beat Medvedev in his previous match from 1-5 down in the decider.
There was nothing between the players in the opening set with not a break point in sight.
Tsitsipas was quite happy to slug it out from the baseline and earned two set points in the tiebreaker with a barrage of forehands that even Nadal could not contain. He then banged down an ace to take the opening set.
Tsitsipas, who had not dropped a set so far, began to feel the pace and saved break points at 2-2 and 3-3 but Nadal was now in hunting mode and at 4-4 he finally cornered his prey to break for the first time.
A long bathroom break seemed to revive Tsitsipas and he kept his nose ahead in a high-quality decider.
Nadal nervelessly held serve at 4-5, then broke in the next game when Tsitsipas, in at the net, could not control a low volley.
Nadal wrapped it up in the next game.
