Nadal and Tsitsipas are going to the second set, the Greek having prevailed in a first set TB 7-4.

Nadal has to win this match and Zverev would need to lose for Nadal to advance.

I would not be surprised if Nadal beats the Greek, somehow, and Medvedev upsets Zverev. Zverev controls his own destiny here (he wins and he’s in), owns a 4-1 H2H against the Russian, but wouldn’t it just be the old middle-finger from Daniil, a closing statement on his solid, surly 2019 despite crashing-out of the ATP Finals.

I now have the suspicion that the pieces fall just right and Nadal wins the ATP Finals.

That would be a bit much, I suppose, but he needs to make a good effort here since Federer gifted him YE #1 by beating Djokovic yesterday.

We will discuss that match a bit later. He, indeed, found that much higher form I suggested (anticipated?) he needed.

In my build-up to that match, I stopped at arguing Federer simply beating Djokovic would have historical significance. I did not include in that commentary the point that Federer needs to not only beat Novak, but then add his seventh ATP title to the trophy case.

How could I leave that out?

But that’s what has to happen for Federer to truly stem the tide, so to speak.

That was good match yesterday between Roger and Novak. I don’t think Novak was 100%, but he played well; Roger simply had that magician’s touch, pretty much providing the blueprint that many of us have explained over the years that will continue to make Federer very difficult to beat in these bigger matches, at the business-end, no matter his opponent.

We’ll see what happens this weekend.

Keep in mind, we’re quite pleased with the fact that three of the four semi-finalists boast one-handed weaponry, the more attacking aka brilliant style of tennis; the rest of you two-handers can sit around and pine for that base-line block party where they serve spiked fruit punch.

Bring-on the more high-minded, enlightened bevvies for 2019’s ATP Finals final four!

Cheerio.