Rafael Nadal produces stunning comeback from match point down in decider to beat Daniil Medvedev in ATP Finals thriller

RAFAEL NADAL staged one of the greatest comebacks of his career to give his hopes of ending the year as the world No1 and winning the ATP Finals an almighty boost.

The Spaniard was shot, he looked dead and buried when he was 5-1 down in the deciding set to Daniil Medvedev.

But after saving match point in that game, he broke the Russian’s serve twice in succession and forced a deciding tie-break.

And a dramatic challenge on match point proved Medvedev went wide, completing a 6-7 6-3 7-6 win at the O2 Arena.

After going down to Alexander Zverev in his first group-stage match on Monday and although he put in a better performance against Daniil Medvedev today, the result looked for all the world to be the same for Rafa: defeat.

Nadal, somehow, had other ideas as he fought back with that competitive spirit that defies human belief.

And coupled with Novak Djokovic’s defeat to Dominic Thiem last night, the monster win for the Spaniard swings the momentum back in Nadal’s favour in their quest to be crowned the best in the world come the end of the 2019 season.

Nadal and Medvedev – who Rafa had previously beaten twice this season including in an epic, five-set US Open final – could not be separated in the opening set as neither player could force a break point.

But a couple of unforced errors in the tie-break helped hand the opener over to Medvedev.

FIGHTING SPIRIT

Nadal went for a lengthy toilet break, recomposed himself and came out fighting, immediately breaking the Russian’s serve.

And a near-faultless second set from the world No1 was closed out with a second break of serve in the final game, giving him the psychological advantage of serving first in the third.

It was the second singles match in a row here at the O2 to go the distance after just one in the previous 20.

But Nadal suffered a taste of his own medicine as Medvedev went off for a toilet break of his own and it had the same effect as he came back fighting.

The world No4 broke immediately and consolidated the advantage before securing a second break as Nadal drifted a slice into the tramlines. Then the Russian held for a seemingly-unavailable 4-0 lead.

As much as the adoring O2 crowd tried to lift their darling, nothing seemed to be working.

Rafa just about got himself on the scoreboard but looked to be done, leaving his hopes of glory here hanging by a thread, especially as the Medvedev Express showed no signs of slowing down – he was determined to get his revenge for the Flushing Meadows defeat in September.

The Spaniard saved the match point and then became a man possessed, somehow finding something extra to break not once but twice as his opponent berated himself and simply imploded.

Nadal battled. And battled. And battled.

He stormed back to force the tie-break, which he came through to win 7-4 as Medvedev went wide confirmed by hawk eye to complete a famous victory after two hours 46 minutes.

What a thrilling win for Nadal, who was by no means at his best with the racket but is so mentally strong, unrivalled in terms of his sheer mental resilience.

But the psychological impact this may well have on Medvedev could be very, very ugly indeed.