ACAPULCO: This time around, there was no drama. In a rematch of an epic five-set Australian Open final, Rafael Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3 early on Saturday and qualified for the Mexican Open final, where he will play Cameron Norrie.
A month ago in Australia, the 35-year-old Nadal came from two sets down to beat Medvedev and win his record 21st Grand Slam singles title.
Nadal is now 14-0 in the season and will try to capture his fourth title in Acapulco.
The Spaniard started off strong in the match with a break in the fourth game of the first set that lasted 47 minutes.
But Medvedev, who will be the world´s No. 1-ranked player on Monday, played better in the second set, but missed converting 11 breakpoints, seven of them in a fifth game that lasted 19 minutes.
Earlier, Norrie extended his hot streak in February by upsetting Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4.
After losing all four of his matches in January, Norrie is 10-1 in February and arrived in Mexico after winning the third ATP Tour title of his career at Delray Beach.
Norrie, the sixth-seeded player in Acapulco, matched the biggest win of his career by beating No. 4-ranked Tsitsipas.
“I served very well today, I really enjoyed the match, it´s one of my best wins, I hope we can keep the run alive tomorrow”, said Norrie.
Norrie had service breaks in the ninth game of the first and second set to defeat Tsitsipas.
Norrie´s previous biggest career win was he defeated Dominic Thiem, who was fourth in the ATP rankings, in the 2021 Lyon semifinal.
The British player now has a 4-20 record against top 10 opponents.
“It´s going to be a great match regardless of whom I´m going to play against, it´s going to be hard," Norrie said.