Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas, ATP Cup 2021: Preview, Head-to-Head and Prediction

Rafael Nadal opens his ATP Cup campaign against Stefanos Tsitsipas on Thursday, with his team Spain already upbeat after recording a commanding group-stage win over Australia.

The Spaniard will now carry a world of confidence and belief going into his match against the current World Number 6 at the Rod Laver Arena, having had the better of him in recent exchanges.

Rafael Nadal leads Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-1 in head-to-head battles

Going by their head-to-head record, Nadal holds the proverbial wood over Tsitsipas currently, coming out on the winning side in six of the seven meetings with him.

The long-haired Greek, however, can draw solace from his only win over the 20-time Grand Slam champion in the last-eight clash of the ATP Finals in 2019.

Tsitsipas beat Nadal in a three-setter on the way to winning the coveted, season-ending championship that year.

Keeping aside the head-to-head record, how are the two players placed on current form going into Thursday’s marquee clash?

The Spaniard looked on top of his game in his commanding 7-5- 6-4 win over World Number 3 Dominic Thiem at the exhibition ‘Day at the Drive’ in Adelaide, where they had been quarantining ahead of the Australian Open.

Tsitsipas’ lack of match time might cost him Nadal tie

Tsitsipas, on the other hand, presents a picture in contrast, having been away from the game on account of an injury he sustained at the ATP Finals last year.

While he looked to have left his fitness worries behind as he got back into the swing of things in his pre-season training block, lack of match time could hurt his chances against the Spaniard on Thursday.

However, Nadal withdrew from his country’s opening group-stage fixtures against Australia on Tuesday with a back problem and his fitness will be in focus while he battles Tsitsipas.

While the Spaniard clinched his career’s 20th Grand Slam title at the French Open last year, bringing himself on level with Roger Federer, Tsitsipas didn’t have the most fruitful of seasons.

The Greek star did come close to winning his maiden Grand Slam at the Roland-Garros last year but lost a nerve-wracking five-setter in the semi-final to Novak Djokovic.

Read More: WATCH: Rafael Nadal’s Top Shots of 2020

Tsitsipas will open his ATP Cup campaign later on Wednesday with a group-stage showdown with Australian Alex De Minaur.