Rafael Nadal beat Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-0 in the Canadian Open final, 2019 on hard court in Montreal
It was Nadal's 5th title at the event and the first time and to date, remains the only time he has defended a title on hard court. Medvedev was playing his first Masters final. The two would meet shortly after in the US Open final with Nadal winning in 5 sets
Nadal won 59 points, Medvedev 36
Serve Stats
Nadal...
- 1st serve percentage (33/46) 72%
- 1st serve points won (27/33) 82%
- 2nd serve points won (8/13) 62%
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (11/46) 24%
Medvedev...
- 1st serve percentage (31/49) 63%
- 1st serve points won (19/31) 61%
- 2nd serve points won (6/18) 33%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (15/49) 31%
Serve Pattern
Nadal served...
- to FH 42%
- to BH 58%
Medvedev served...
- to FH 64%
- to BH 36%
Return Stats
Nadal made...
- 29 (16 FH, 13 BH)
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (4 FH)
- 6 Forced (3 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (29/44) 66%
Medvedev made...
- 34 (15 FH, 19 BH)
- 11 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH)
- 7 Forced (3 FH, 4 BH)
- Return Rate (34/45) 76%
Break Points
Nadal 4/8 (5 games)
Medvedev 0/1
Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Nadal 12 (7 FH, 2 BH, 2 FHV, 1 OH)
Medvedev 5 (3 FH, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Nadal's FHs - 1 cc, 4 dtl (1 return, 2 passes) and 2 inside-in
- BHs - 1 cc and 1 running-down-drop-shot cc at net pass
- 1 FHV can reasonably be called an OH
Medvedev's FHs - 1 cc pass, 1 drop shot and 1 lob
- 2 from serve-volley points, both first volleys (1 BHV, 1 OH)
Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Nadal 15
- 11 Unforced (9 FH, 2 BH)
- 4 Forced (1 FH, 3 BH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 44.5
Medvedev 31
- 21 Unforced (10 FH, 11 BH)... with 1 BH pass attempt at net
- 10 Forced (6 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.6
(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Nadal was...
- 12/14 (86%) at net, including...
- 2/3 (67%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
Medvedev was...
- 5/14 (36%) at net, including...
- 2/3 (67%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 0/2 forced back/retreated
Match Report
Nadal utilizes net play, amidst slow, clay-court like baseline rallies to take the first set, before Medvedev goes on a carefree, error-strewn bender in the second to get bagelled
Conditions are slow, almost like clay. The court is slow and there are significant winds keeping both players in check. Both return from well behind the baseline. Neither can hit through the court. Both, particularly Med are able to make late retrieving 'gets', usually seen on clay. As such, baseline play is attritional of nature in normal first set.
Med playing wildly defines the second set
In first set, the two exchange groundies off both sides, biased towards Nadal FH cc - Med BH cc as starting point. Its more Med's choice to play that staple. He sweeps his BH cc's deep and is more than upto holding even with Nadal's FH. Also changes direction regularly and with apparent ease - usually longline and even occasionally, inside-out. Lots of variety to Med's BH
Nadal keeps orthodox position in ad court to take FHs. Rallies tend to be long - there are 4-5 20+ shot rallies, including the first one of the match. Neither player steps in to be look to force action and dynamics remain at most, moderate moving-opponent-around. Med's direction changing BHs opens up such rallies and rarely are cc exchanges extended
Neutrally, honours are about even. After first set, UEs read Nadal 8, Med 10 (excluding a BH pass at net attempt). Nadal's FH has offensive edge with dtl shots, but Med retrieves with late 'gets'. Med's attempts to attack with BH are less successful. The longline (and odd inside-out) change-ups are covered by Nadal, rallies go on and when he does go for a big point finisher, he misses
Nadal puts himself over by coming to net, after mildly outmanuvering Med. By matches end, he's an outstanding 12/14 or 86% points won at net. The approach shots aren't overly powerful (generally, he doesn't come in from much stronger baseline positions), but certainly favourable. And he does what he has to on the volley adequatley
Med's poor 5/14 at net - including 3/11 rallying there - isn't as bad as it looks. quarter to a third of his approaches are to deal with drop shots/volleys. He has just 1 error in forecourt and its an FE to a wide pass. Nadal also passes outstandingly... credit Nadal on the pass, nothing much wrong with Med's approaches. He doesn't actually get to volley enough for the shot to be assessed
There is no forefront battle of groundies as action is dual-winged. If there were, the standout one would be Nadal FH and Med BH. Nadal has 9 UEs, Med 10 (excluding the pass at net miss). Nadal's able to do damage dtl, Med's attacks fail. Slight advantage Nadal
Nadal's BH is the rock of the match, as it so often is. Just the 2 UEs. Med's FH has 10. First point of match is 20 shot rally where Nadal blinks with the BH. Later in the same game, he makes a defensive BH UE (i.e. rather difficult for a UE). And that's it for the match. Its not unduly tested but has hitting advantage over Med's FH too
Second set, Med plays frantically. He double faults going for unreturnable second serves. He goes for crazily low percentage winners from well behind baseline in both directions. He serves a couple of times from corner of deuce court. Basically, out-to-lunch play
According to commentary, Med had won just shy of 90% first serve points in the tournament and broken 50% of the time on return. Regardless of opposition quality, those are remarkable feats and its disappointing to see him give up the ghost. And for no particular reason... he'd lost a competitive set, and that's all
Here, he wins just 61% first serve points, losing 12 points (apparently the same number he'd lost all tournament coming into the match)
And can't break, while conjuring just the 1 break point
Other points of interest are Med serving 64% of the time to Nadal's FH. Its not a bad move. In general, the damaging potential of Nadal has scared players away from targetting it. In reality, its actually the looser side. Both sides are highly secure, but the BH, on which he swings less freely, more so. On return and off the ground. Not a bad idea from Med and it shows he's done his homework. Nadal thrashes a very rare FH dtl return winner... an indicator that he'd got used to the ploy and was ready to counter-attack it
Med with a very strong serve. 5 aces on this court and with Nadal returning so far back is a high figure. As is 31% unreturned serves. Nadal, isn't nearly as strong but is able to move Med off court readily enough. Give where Med's standing, not too difficult
Long game to start the match, with Nadal saving a break point with a wide serve before going on to hold in 12 points. Good break game by Nadal, with a couple of powerful, deep returns leading to him winning points and a drop shot play. Med double faults on break point to go down 1-3. Med's under the gun next service game too, his forays to net are met with strong counters, but he manages to win his only net point down break point and goes on to hold for 2-4. Routine holds from there to the end, Nadal serving set out to 30, smacking a FH dtl pass winner on set point
Med starts second set with an ace, a double fault and a third ball FH drop shot winner. He double faults again and misses a FH he tries to blast to give up break
On his second service game, Med serves from edge of deuce court (forces a return error with it), serve-volleys, double faults and on break point, misses an aggressively sharply angled BH cc
And he continues the same way for rest of match, playing wildly and giving up errors to get bagelled. Nadal remains unruffled and plays the same game he'd played earlier, sans coming to net because points end early through Med's errors
Summing up, decent slow court baseline tennis for a set, with Nadal shading Med from the back and utilizing net play with sound judgement on top of that to come out ahead. And Med's out to lunch for the second set, which is easy for Nadal
Stats for pair's '19 US Open final - Match Stats/Report - Nadal vs Medvedev, US Open final, 2019 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)
It was Nadal's 5th title at the event and the first time and to date, remains the only time he has defended a title on hard court. Medvedev was playing his first Masters final. The two would meet shortly after in the US Open final with Nadal winning in 5 sets
Nadal won 59 points, Medvedev 36
Serve Stats
Nadal...
- 1st serve percentage (33/46) 72%
- 1st serve points won (27/33) 82%
- 2nd serve points won (8/13) 62%
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (11/46) 24%
Medvedev...
- 1st serve percentage (31/49) 63%
- 1st serve points won (19/31) 61%
- 2nd serve points won (6/18) 33%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (15/49) 31%
Serve Pattern
Nadal served...
- to FH 42%
- to BH 58%
Medvedev served...
- to FH 64%
- to BH 36%
Return Stats
Nadal made...
- 29 (16 FH, 13 BH)
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (4 FH)
- 6 Forced (3 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (29/44) 66%
Medvedev made...
- 34 (15 FH, 19 BH)
- 11 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH)
- 7 Forced (3 FH, 4 BH)
- Return Rate (34/45) 76%
Break Points
Nadal 4/8 (5 games)
Medvedev 0/1
Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Nadal 12 (7 FH, 2 BH, 2 FHV, 1 OH)
Medvedev 5 (3 FH, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Nadal's FHs - 1 cc, 4 dtl (1 return, 2 passes) and 2 inside-in
- BHs - 1 cc and 1 running-down-drop-shot cc at net pass
- 1 FHV can reasonably be called an OH
Medvedev's FHs - 1 cc pass, 1 drop shot and 1 lob
- 2 from serve-volley points, both first volleys (1 BHV, 1 OH)
Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Nadal 15
- 11 Unforced (9 FH, 2 BH)
- 4 Forced (1 FH, 3 BH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 44.5
Medvedev 31
- 21 Unforced (10 FH, 11 BH)... with 1 BH pass attempt at net
- 10 Forced (6 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.6
(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Nadal was...
- 12/14 (86%) at net, including...
- 2/3 (67%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
Medvedev was...
- 5/14 (36%) at net, including...
- 2/3 (67%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 0/2 forced back/retreated
Match Report
Nadal utilizes net play, amidst slow, clay-court like baseline rallies to take the first set, before Medvedev goes on a carefree, error-strewn bender in the second to get bagelled
Conditions are slow, almost like clay. The court is slow and there are significant winds keeping both players in check. Both return from well behind the baseline. Neither can hit through the court. Both, particularly Med are able to make late retrieving 'gets', usually seen on clay. As such, baseline play is attritional of nature in normal first set.
Med playing wildly defines the second set
In first set, the two exchange groundies off both sides, biased towards Nadal FH cc - Med BH cc as starting point. Its more Med's choice to play that staple. He sweeps his BH cc's deep and is more than upto holding even with Nadal's FH. Also changes direction regularly and with apparent ease - usually longline and even occasionally, inside-out. Lots of variety to Med's BH
Nadal keeps orthodox position in ad court to take FHs. Rallies tend to be long - there are 4-5 20+ shot rallies, including the first one of the match. Neither player steps in to be look to force action and dynamics remain at most, moderate moving-opponent-around. Med's direction changing BHs opens up such rallies and rarely are cc exchanges extended
Neutrally, honours are about even. After first set, UEs read Nadal 8, Med 10 (excluding a BH pass at net attempt). Nadal's FH has offensive edge with dtl shots, but Med retrieves with late 'gets'. Med's attempts to attack with BH are less successful. The longline (and odd inside-out) change-ups are covered by Nadal, rallies go on and when he does go for a big point finisher, he misses
Nadal puts himself over by coming to net, after mildly outmanuvering Med. By matches end, he's an outstanding 12/14 or 86% points won at net. The approach shots aren't overly powerful (generally, he doesn't come in from much stronger baseline positions), but certainly favourable. And he does what he has to on the volley adequatley
Med's poor 5/14 at net - including 3/11 rallying there - isn't as bad as it looks. quarter to a third of his approaches are to deal with drop shots/volleys. He has just 1 error in forecourt and its an FE to a wide pass. Nadal also passes outstandingly... credit Nadal on the pass, nothing much wrong with Med's approaches. He doesn't actually get to volley enough for the shot to be assessed
There is no forefront battle of groundies as action is dual-winged. If there were, the standout one would be Nadal FH and Med BH. Nadal has 9 UEs, Med 10 (excluding the pass at net miss). Nadal's able to do damage dtl, Med's attacks fail. Slight advantage Nadal
Nadal's BH is the rock of the match, as it so often is. Just the 2 UEs. Med's FH has 10. First point of match is 20 shot rally where Nadal blinks with the BH. Later in the same game, he makes a defensive BH UE (i.e. rather difficult for a UE). And that's it for the match. Its not unduly tested but has hitting advantage over Med's FH too
Second set, Med plays frantically. He double faults going for unreturnable second serves. He goes for crazily low percentage winners from well behind baseline in both directions. He serves a couple of times from corner of deuce court. Basically, out-to-lunch play
According to commentary, Med had won just shy of 90% first serve points in the tournament and broken 50% of the time on return. Regardless of opposition quality, those are remarkable feats and its disappointing to see him give up the ghost. And for no particular reason... he'd lost a competitive set, and that's all
Here, he wins just 61% first serve points, losing 12 points (apparently the same number he'd lost all tournament coming into the match)
And can't break, while conjuring just the 1 break point
Other points of interest are Med serving 64% of the time to Nadal's FH. Its not a bad move. In general, the damaging potential of Nadal has scared players away from targetting it. In reality, its actually the looser side. Both sides are highly secure, but the BH, on which he swings less freely, more so. On return and off the ground. Not a bad idea from Med and it shows he's done his homework. Nadal thrashes a very rare FH dtl return winner... an indicator that he'd got used to the ploy and was ready to counter-attack it
Med with a very strong serve. 5 aces on this court and with Nadal returning so far back is a high figure. As is 31% unreturned serves. Nadal, isn't nearly as strong but is able to move Med off court readily enough. Give where Med's standing, not too difficult
Long game to start the match, with Nadal saving a break point with a wide serve before going on to hold in 12 points. Good break game by Nadal, with a couple of powerful, deep returns leading to him winning points and a drop shot play. Med double faults on break point to go down 1-3. Med's under the gun next service game too, his forays to net are met with strong counters, but he manages to win his only net point down break point and goes on to hold for 2-4. Routine holds from there to the end, Nadal serving set out to 30, smacking a FH dtl pass winner on set point
Med starts second set with an ace, a double fault and a third ball FH drop shot winner. He double faults again and misses a FH he tries to blast to give up break
On his second service game, Med serves from edge of deuce court (forces a return error with it), serve-volleys, double faults and on break point, misses an aggressively sharply angled BH cc
And he continues the same way for rest of match, playing wildly and giving up errors to get bagelled. Nadal remains unruffled and plays the same game he'd played earlier, sans coming to net because points end early through Med's errors
Summing up, decent slow court baseline tennis for a set, with Nadal shading Med from the back and utilizing net play with sound judgement on top of that to come out ahead. And Med's out to lunch for the second set, which is easy for Nadal
Stats for pair's '19 US Open final - Match Stats/Report - Nadal vs Medvedev, US Open final, 2019 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)
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