ATP Finals 2022: Rafael Nadal vs Taylor Fritz preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (1) Rafael Nadal vs (8) Taylor Fritz.
Date: November 13, 2022.
Tournament: ATP Finals 2022.
Round: Round robin.
Venue: Pala Alpitour, Turin, Italy.
Category: Year-ending championships.
Surface: Indoor hardcourt.
Prize money: $14,750,000.
Match timing: Not before 9 pm local time, 8 pm GMT, 3 pm ET and 1:30 am IST.
Live telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Amazon Prime Video | India - Sports 18 & Voot.
Rafael Nadal vs Taylor Fritz preview
22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will take on World No. 9 Taylor Fritz in the group stage of the 2022 ATP Finals on Sunday.
Nadal started the year on a strong note, winning a title in the lead-up to the Australian Open and then capturing his 21st Major crown at the season's first Grand Slam. His winning ways continued at the Mexican Open, claiming his third title on the trot. Fritz ended his unbeaten run in the final of the Indian Wells Masters.
The Spaniard injured his rib during his loss to Fritz and missed the start of the clay season. After less-than-stellar performances in Madrid and Rome, Nadal managed to win the French Open for his 22nd Grand Slam title. He played quite well at Wimbledon but sustained an abdominal tear during his quarterfinal victory over Fritz. He withdrew from the tournament after that.
Nadal returned to action at the Western & Southern Open, where he lost to Borna Coric in the second round. He then made it to the fourth round of the US Open, losing to Frances Tiafoe. While he wasn't close to his best physically, the 36-year-old made an appearance at the Laver Cup to be a part of Roger Federer's farewell event.
The Spaniard's next tournament was the Paris Masters, where he fell to Tommy Paul in the second round. He's currently gunning for his first title at the ATP Finals.
@RafaelNadal | #NittoATPFinalsAfinando los golpes en Turín 🔥
🇪🇸 @RafaelNadal | #NittoATPFinals https://t.co/aLAvrBtp8e
Fritz is in the midst of a career-best season. He has won three titles this year, with the biggest of them coming at the Indian Wells Masters. The American defeated Nadal in the final to snap his 20-match winning streak. He also won titles in Eastbourne and Tokyo.
Fritz's best result at the Majors came at Wimbledon, where he made it to the quarterfinals. His consistency throughout the season helped him crack the top 10 in the rankings. However, his recent results were underwhelming, as the 25-year-old failed to make it past the second round in Vienna and Paris.
Fritz initially missed out on qualifying for the ATP Finals and was the first alternate. However, following the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz, he's now making his debut in the tournament.
Rafael Nadal vs Taylor Fritz head-to-head
Nadal leads Fritz 2-1 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2022 Wimbledon in five sets.
Rafael Nadal vs Taylor Fritz odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM.)
Rafael Nadal vs Taylor Fritz prediction
Nadal's comeback match at the Paris Masters was a little disappointing. He started well but faded in the third set as he was unable to keep up physically. Fritz has given the Spaniard enough trouble this year and has the potential to do so again if he ups his game a bit.
The American isn't too daunted by Nadal's forehand and unleashes his own with equal intensity. His serve can also get him out of trouble when needed. Most importantly, he seems to be in good shape, which tilts the scales in his favor by a decent margin.
It all depends on how Nadal's body holds up. If he's fully fit, he has staged enough comebacks to know what it takes to get the job done. Otherwise, Fritz should be able to deal with the former World No. 1 easily.
Pick: Rafael Nadal to win in three sets.