Tsitsipas' 3 qualities Nadal needs to be wary of in the Australian Open 2019 Semi-Final
It is certain without a doubt that whosoever lifts the winner's trophy this Sunday, the 2019 Australian Open will be remembered for the exploits of the 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek has had a memorable tournament so far by reaching his first-ever Grand Slam semi-final, the first from his nation.
After sensationally dethroning current and six-time winner Roger Federer in the 4th Round and holding off Bautista Agut in the quarters, he now squares off against one of the game's very best, Rafael Nadal for a spot in the final.
#Head to Head - Nadal 2-0 Tsitsipas
Nadal and Tsitsipas clashed twice in 2018, first in the Barcelona Open final where Nadal gave the Greek a taste of his invincibility on clay, winning 6-2 6-1.
Tsitsipas came close to taking it to a decider set in the second meeting in the Canadian Open final, but Nadal managed to hold off with a 6-2 7-6 (7-4) victory.
Although Nadal will be the overwhelming favourite when they meet again on 24th January, Tsitsipas is now much improved and should not be taken lightly. Here are the Greek's three qualities which could force the Spaniard to dig deep.
#1 NET PLAY
Remember when a younger Federer used to constantly frustrate his opponents, especially the likes of Nadal, by making frequent runs to the nets and dictating the play? Well, Tsitsipas loves to play near the nets in order to secure points during his service games. He was able to keep his serve from breaking against Federer many times during their encounter.
Since that doesn't make it theoretically easy for Nadal to break his serve, he needs to be clever in his shot selection, direction, and accuracy. The all-powerful forehand down the baseline maybe his rescue.