Rafael Nadal was still able to close the ATP Finals on a positive note. After two losses in the group stage, the 36-year-old Spaniard did win his third match against the Norwegian Casper Ruud. In Turin, Nadal triumphed in straight sets: 7-5, 7-5.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who was struggling with a lack of match rhythm, recovered somewhat against Ruud. The two kept each other in balance for a long time in both sets. Nadal broke the Norwegian at 6-5 in the first set. He did that again in the twelfth game in the second set.
The semi-finals of the year-end tournament were already out of reach for Nadal due to his losses against American Taylor Fritz and Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime. The 23-year-old Ruud, a finalist at Roland Garros and the US Open this year, was already certain of a place in the knockout phase after two victories.
On Thursday evening, Fritz and Auger-Aliassime will compete in the same group for the second ticket for the semi-finals.
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