The absence of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in the later rounds of the 2020 U.S. Open presented an opportunity for players like Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev… I think there is a lot more to being a top-20, top-25 player than just talent. Reigning champion Zverev beat Marin Cilic 7-6 7-5 in yesterday’s semi-final while Nadal beat Novak Djokovic.. Reigning champion Zverev beat Marin Cilic 7-6 7-5 in yesterday’s semi-final while Nadal beat.It means Spaniard Nadal is in his 10th Rome final while Zverev is looking for back-to-back titles in the Italian capital.And Zverev knows he goes into today’s encounter as the underdog.“There’s not much you need to say about him,” Zverev told ATP World Tour.“He’s won the French Open ten times and I’m definitely not the favourite.“Hopefully I’ll be ready for it, I’ll do everything I can to recover.”.Sky Sports are carrying all the coverage of this week's Italian Open.Their coverage today starts at 1.00pm, running on Sky Sports Action.It means the men’s final will not start before 3.00pm UK time.Sky’s coverage of the Italian Open means that all the action can be followed on your desktop or laptop via the Sky Go app, which if you’re an existing customer, is also available on iOS and Android smartphone and tablet devices.Sky Go is also available on a number of platforms including Amazon Fire devices, iPad, Mac computers and laptops, Playstation 3, PS4 and Xbox One.The Sky Sports app, available to download on iOS and Android devices, will also be providing live text coverage and updates.If you're not currently a Sky Sports customer but can't stand to miss out on the action, you can add the channels to your box via a NOW TV subscription.Day passes, which let you add Sky Sports channels for 24 hours, start at £6.99 a day, with a weekly pass starting from £10.99, and no locking in to a contract.NOW TV doesn't even require a typical television to use, as it is also available on a NOW TV Box, Chromecast, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Roku, LG Smart TV, PC or Mac, and selected mobile and tablet devices.See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, So instead of Nadal, 33, against Wawrinka, 34, it’ll be Zverev, 22, against Thiem, 26, a couple of members of the new generation trying to collect a breakthrough Slam title. ".Nakashima, who recently turned 19 years, is ranked at No.223 in the world. He’s won 86% of his service games. It was a while ago, but it was in 2016 when I played Rafa for the first time,” Zverev said According to Wilander, Thiem was the.However, what the Swede couldn't predict correctly was the vigor showed by Zverev.In his latest column for the French daily, Mats Wilander focused on the mental side of the duel between Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev as he said.On Sunday, it was made very clear in the slugfest between Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev that a lot of mental fortitude is required to win a single Major - let alone win 17-18 of them. Nadal has rarely dipped under 120mph. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.Rafael Nadal: Novak Djokovic makes huge revelation after Italian Open,Rafael Nadal: Alexander Zverev makes admission ahead of Rome final,Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal meet in today's Italian Open final,Italian Open results LIVE: Latest scores as Nadal aims to win,Rafael Nadal reveals why he SUFFERED against Novak Djokovic,Rafael Nadal: Huge Roger Federer claim made by Fabio Fognini's father. He really should have won their last meeting when he led by a break in the final set of last year’s Rome final. It was not always a lot of ups, so I hope I can play my best tennis this week and we’ll see how it goes.Good work from Nadal, but will Zverev’s incredible serving abate?Nadal is 0/3 so far at the net, Zverev is making solid volleys. It means Spaniard Nadal is in his 10th Rome final while Zverev is … Thanks for joining and goodbye.It’s obviously great. Zverev says it was back when he first played Nadal. Then again, this is,Now, we turn to the one question that dominated the build-up to this tournament: will.If Nadal is healthy, he arrives in London as the player of the year so far, a fact confirmed by his return to the top of the rankings this week. Now Thiem will play No. … He holds a 5-0 record against the German, including two wins on hard courts.This has been a tough, tough year for Zverev, but his legal dispute with his agent has finally been contained and he has played very well in the final months of this year. Down two-sets-to-love, the Austrian had to will himself to make a comeback in the US Open final. And we will play every tournament without them." Obviously it's not the same, but at some point those two will retire, as well. "Yeah, he definitely has that talent. At break point down, Nadal sprayed a very bad forehand wide.That said, most of his first serves are coming in over 140mph and although he serves big, it’s not usually that big. They know Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer (both absentees), as well as the world No 1, Novak Djokovic ... Zverev, meanwhile, cannot afford to dwell on Thiem’s injury. But seven-time Major winner,A few days earlier, the former World No. First set: Rafael Nadal *1-1 Alexander Zverev: If that was impressive serving from Nadal, that was an absolutely outrageous hold from Zverev. And.After saving the match point Nadal from 3-5 won the third set 7-5 and won the match. And so he narrates an instance when he came close to beating Rafael Nadal early on in his career.Every player in his/her career goes through emotions. 3 David Ferrer as his coach. "Even from difficult positions," Nadal said, praising Thiem's quickness and power, "he was able to produce amazing shots." Germany's Alexander Zverev says it's a bit weird not having Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer at the.So obviously it will have a little bit of an effect, but I think this year's US Open is different in many ways. Zverev is the first man to win a U.S. Open semifinal after a 2-0 set deficit since Novak Djokovic did it against Roger Federer in 2011 – and, keeping good … newspaper archive.Express. Mats Wilander recently claimed that Dominic Thiem & Alexander Zverev are not good enough to be in the same league as Nadal or Djokovic yet. The good news for the Spaniard is that he has two matches to correct things and we’ll see if he can play himself into the event. Also, Zverev reflected on his decision to hire former world No. He hit 3 forehand winners and 13 errors from that wing alone, which is unacceptable for him.Even if the abs held up, that preparation was not ideal and it seems to have cost him. It remains to be seen whether he can build on this first success and become as mentally strong as the Big 3 in the future.Mats Wilander recently claimed that Dominic Thiem & Alexander Zverev are not good enough to be in the same league as Nadal or Djokovic yet.The former Slam champion also noted that the 2020 US Open final was a battle of nerves. You don’t do that against.But Nadal is also looking extremely off right now. Nadal R. Zverev A. live score (and video online live stream) starts on 11 Nov 2019 at 20:00 UTC time in Tour Finals London, Great Britain, Group A, ATP. Along with Greek standout Stefanos Tsitsipas, Thiem and Zverev — all in their 20s — are poised to rise up as Djokovic and Nadal age. When the player is young they don’t know how to handle emotions. That kind of resilience has often been seen in the likes of,Perhaps it is this quality of Dominic Thiem's that has seen him being compared to the 'Big 3'. “I can even remember when it was actually. This means everything to me and I was looking forward to this match. He will play in the,“I Was Devastated” – Alexander Zverev Recalls His First Match Against Rafael Nadal,“He’s Going to Rule the Heavyweight Division” – Anthony Joshua Fanboys Over Mike Tyson,Coach Takes a Dig at French Open 2020 by Citing Rafael Nadal’s Example,“Best Player of All Time on Clay”: Dominic Thiem Picks Rafael Nadal as French Open 2020 Favorite,All You Need to Know About the French Open 2020 Trophies,Novak Djokovic Surpasses Rafael Nadal in an Incredible Record at Italian Open 2020. The German produced a dominant display against the world No 1 to start the defence of his title in style.Despite how well Zverev played, how unimpeachable his serve was and how well he pummelled his his forehand, which is often one of his biggest weaknesses, this will be tough to swallow for Nadal. I think he's going to go even further. "Yeah, it was a no-brainer for me. Dominic Thiem came from two sets down to defeat Alexander Zverev, 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), in a match that lasted more than four hours. Djokovic and Nadal, with 36 major trophies between them, will no doubt look forward to the opportunity of putting Zverev back in his box during the European clay-court swing. Rafael Nadal Germany's Alexander Zverev says it's a bit weird not having Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer at the US Open but acknowledged those two … I’m guessing that speed gun is a bit cooked.However, despite the head to head, Zverev theoretically seems to match up very nicely against Nadal. It's just somebody that I respected so much during the career and after the career, as well," Zverev said. Everybody probably knows how much I was struggling the whole season. [On why he was serving so big] Carrots, spinach, whatever was coming my way, whatever mum and everybody was giving me. "We said that we're going to have a trial period, and in that trial period he was so unbelievably well organized and the work has been incredible.I enjoyed the practices. Zverev was desperate at that time as he never won a match against a top 10 opponent and coming so close to beat someone like Rafa will have had its charm.Zverev will look to get a good restart of the season. Alexander Zverev thanked Nadal and Federer for their amazing support at last week's Laver Cup in Geneva. The question for several years now has been when? Zverev says it was back when he first played Nadal. He's going to be top 100 in no time. It was a while ago, but it was in 2016 when I played Rafa for the first time,” Zverev said Alexander Zverev over the years has grown into one of the best young talents in tennis. This is so special, thank you very much. In a ‘ask me anything’ challenge with fellow German basketball player Dirk Nowitzki, Zverev was asked when was the last time he cried on the court. This means so much, playing here again after winning my biggest title so far in my career here last year. Dominic Thiem came from two sets down to defeat Alexander Zverev, 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), in a match that lasted more than four hours. The fact that the 22 year-old has made it to London after such a turbulent year speaks volumes of his ability. He crushed one at … The German, who clinched the final win … He lost 4 points on serve throughout. After generating game point with a very good crosscourt forehand, he got into a muddle at the net and handed Zverev an easy passing shot. We don't have spectators, the crowd is gone, and stuff like that," Zverev said after beating Brandon Nakashima. Indeed, Zverev has actually acquitted himself pretty well in their meetings, with both of their meetings on hard court going to a deciding set. This atmosphere is the reason why the goal at the beginning of the season to make London. He has all the serves that you need. "So, yeah, it has an effect. ATP & WTA Alexander Zverev head to head tennis search. All rights reserved.Alexander Zverev defeats Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-4,First set: Rafael Nadal 2-6 Alexander Zverev. "Yeah, he definitely has the potential." Thanks a lot for all the support, everybody who came out. On Wednesday, fifth-seeded Zverev survived a tricky second round challenge as he beat rising American star Nakashima 7-5 6-7 (8) 6-3 6-1 "His serve surprised me a lot because he doesn't serve very fast, but his placement is incredible.He can go any corner. Please,Zverev, 23, is a bright talent with a history of underperforming in grand-slam tournaments,Listen to Times Radio for the latest well-informed debate, expert analysis and breaking news.Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF.Tap ‘Menu’ and then ‘Times Radio’ to listen to the latest well-informed debate, expert analysis and breaking news. I'm happy he's joining the team, as well. Alexander Zverev vs Rafael Nadal all matches, with stats on their H2H rivalry. He may have been one of the best two players at Flushing Meadows over the past fortnight but he,We have noticed that there is an issue with your subscription billing details. I enjoyed the practices more than I did in the last few years. Thiem did not have to go through Djokovic, Nadal or Roger Federer, the sport's 'Big Three', during the two weeks at Flushing Meadows this year but that presented a unique mental challenge as the 27-year-old wrestled with long-time friend Zverev, 23, for success in his fourth Slam final. “I can even remember when it was actually. This led to Wilander questioning whether the duo were in the same category as champions like Nadal, Federer and Djokovic.While Dominic Thiem has made a fine foray into the elite of men's tennis with his first Slam title at the US Open, he clearly has a long way to go before he can enter the league of legends like Nadal and Djokovic. order back issues and use the historic Daily Express This year again, it was a huge goal of mine, especially the way the season went. Zverev believes he has the game to be a top player in the world. "Yeah, he's very young, he still needs to develop, but his development over the last few months, years, has been very good.So I think he can, you know -- what's his ranking now, 100-something? Please,The subscription details associated with this account need to be updated. That’s what I was doing this week, listening to my parents, I guess.Obviously, just coming back here to practice Thursday, Friday and the rest of the days was amazing. 1 had spoken at length previewing the match between Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev. He was off the boil from very early on and played easily his worst match since his struggles in the clay season. He has competed at the highest level winning the tour finals, a few masters titles, and sometimes been a tough task for the Big 3. Zverev regularly tops 135 mph and is averaging more than 19 aces per match, the most for anyone who played more than two matches in this U.S. Open. Having the ability to defeat Nadal is only half of the battle.There will be no better opportunity to face Nadal than on these fast indoor hardcourts as he tentatively attempts to recover from injury. He will certainly take strength from how well he has fared in previous battles against Zverev. He can decide for himself.It's in his hands and his coach's hands," Zverev added of Nakashima. Head To Head. His height and supreme backhand mitigate most of the effects of Nadal’s heavy topspin and swinging lefty serve. To be a fly on the wall when Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal — both in Rome preparing for this week’s Italian Open — read the comments of Alexander Zverev in New York after securing a place in today’s US Open final against Dominic Thiem.“The two best players in the world are going to be playing on court,” said the bullish 23-year-old German, who is ranked No 7 and has no grand-slam titles to his name.Djokovic and Nadal, with 36 major trophies between them, will no doubt look forward to the opportunity of putting Zverev back in his box during the European clay-court swing. The defending champion will not relinquish his title without a fight.Available for everyone, funded by readers.© 2020 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Just being out here, being in the stadium was something that I wanted to do. It’s hard to underline how absurd this all is.Zverev is aboslutely crushing the ball here and Nadal has absolutely nothing so far.Nadal struggled badly and looked a shadow of himself in truth, but what a flawless set of tennis from Sascha Zverev, sealed with yet another incredible service game. ",Novak Djokovic: 'Dominic Thiem deserves Major title but Federer, Nadal and I will..',Novak Djokovic: 'Rafael Nadal has only lost two matches there and...',Serena Williams: “I’m back to work and I’m doing everything I can to be the best...”,Novak Djokovic: 'Rafael Nadal is the favorite but Dominic Thiem and I will try to..','It's not the best tournament to beat Rafael Nadal', says Top 20,Novak Djokovic: 'Roger Federer is the ultimate champion, regardless of his age',Rafael Nadal: 'I would love to finish career on 25 Majors, but that's unlikely..'. Playing here, playing in front of you all guys, playing at the O2 is something we don’t have the whole year. "Yeah, I mean, we worked for a few months now. His second serve is incredibly good," Zverev said of Nakashima.