Melbourne Summer Set 1 2022: Rafael Nadal vs Maxime Cressy preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (1) Rafael Nadal vs (Q) Maxime Cressy
Date: 9 January 2022
Tournament: Melbourne Summer Set 1, 2022
Round: Final
Venue: Melbourne, Australia
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $521,000
Match timing: Not before 7 pm local time, 8 am GMT, 1.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Rafael Nadal vs Maxime Cressy preview
Top seed Rafael Nadal will take on American qualifier Maxime Cressy in the final of the 2022 Melbourne Summer Set on Sunday.
The Spaniard has made a strong return to professional tennis this week after spending several months on the sidelines. Nadal defeated Ricardas Berankis in straight sets in the second round, before receiving a walkover in the quarterfinals.
His sternest test came in the shape of Emil Ruusuvuori in the semifinals, but the Spaniard was able to come through 6-4, 7-5 .
Cressy, meanwhile, has been the surprise package of the tournament. He arrived in Melbourne ranked 112 in the world and had to come through the qualifying rounds.
The American won both his qualifying matches, as well as his first-round contest in straight sets. He then prevailed over Reilly Opelka 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(9) after saving two match points.
Cressy made light work of Juame Munar in the quarterfinals, before battling past third seed Girgor Dimitrov in the semifinals.
Rafael Nadal vs Maxime Cressy head-to-head
The final in Melbourne will be the first encounter between Rafael Nadal and Maxime Cressy, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Rafael Nadal vs Maxime Cressy prediction
Rafael Nadal heads into the final as the heavy favourite, but Maxime Cressy's serve-and-volley style could pose a few problems for the Spaniard.
Nadal will have to be aggressive on return, but his own serve -- which has been relatively consistent this week -- will be crucial against a powerful player like Cressy. The Spaniard will look to prolong the rallies, and disrupt his opponent's rhythm as much as possible.
If Cressy is to cause an upset, he will have to go for his shots. The American will also need his serve to fire on all cylinders to win as many cheap points as possible.
But Nadal is by far the superior player and should be able to claim his first title of the year on Sunday.
Prediction: Rafael Nadal to win in two tight sets.