The Nitto ATP Finals will save the best for last, as World No. 1 Rafael Nadal is set to conclude the opening round of group-stage matches on Monday evening. The top-seeded Spaniard will face David Goffin to wrap Day 2 at The O2 in London.
Nadal begins his quest to put a bow on a captivating 2017 campaign with his first title at the season finale. Runner-up in both 2010 and 2013, the 31-year-old will kick off his eighth appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, and first since 2015, after missing last year's edition due to injury.
Nadal has already made an appearance at The O2 this week, receiving his year-end No. 1 trophy on Sunday afternoon to a rapturous applause from the London crowd. Just three victories from hitting the 70 match wins milestone for the sixth time in his career (2005, 2007-08, 2010 & 2013), he will hope to carry a surge of momentum into the British capital. Nadal has been defeated on just one occasion since the start of the US Open, posting an 18-1 mark with titles in New York and at the China Open in Beijing.
The Spaniard will trade his suit and tie for his tennis gear on Monday, when he faces Goffin for the third time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head. He has not dropped a set thus far against the Belgian, streaking to victory at this year's ATP World Tour Masters 1000 stops in Monte-Carlo and Madrid. In fact, Nadal has saved a combined eight of nine break points faced in those two meetings.
“After what happened to him at Roland Garros (ankle injury), it would be really unfair if he was not here,” Nadal said. “I’m very happy to see him recovered and playing well. Hopefully he won’t play that well on Monday but he’s 100 per cent here and he deserves to be.”
Goffin, however, will be bolstered by a career-best 54-22 win-loss mark in 2017. Up to a career-high No. 8 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, the Belgian is making his debut appearance at the season finale. He is set to enjoy the full experience after having a taste as an alternate last year. Goffin played one match against Novak Djokovic when Gael Monfils withdrew during the tournament.
“He's the toughest opponent to start this campaign here at the ATP Finals,” said Goffin of Nadal. “It’s not going to be easy. It’s our first meeting on hard courts indoors; we played some good matches on clay, in Madrid for example ... I’m sure I can play some good tennis against him.”
Despite only going two sets, their Madrid encounter was of the highest quality, which included several memorable highlight-reel points in the second set. Goffin remarked that playing Nadal on hard courts compared to clay courts is a completely different challenge.
“Here there is no bad bounce – you can take the ball early, earlier than on other surfaces,” added Goffin. “You can do a lot more winners, so that’s what I’m going to try against him in my first match. But it’s not easy, he’s such a great fighter, such a great defender and as soon as you give him a short ball it’s a winner for him. It’s never easy to play against him.”
View FedEx ATP Head2Head for the Group Pete Sampras matches to be played Monday at the Nitto ATP Finals and vote for who you think will win!
Nadal vs. Goffin | Thiem vs. Dimitrov
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