Dominic Thiem beat Rafael Nadal 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-4) in a keenly contested game at London’s O2 Arena to secure this season’s first semi-final ticket.
Spanish second seed Nadal had two set points in the first-set tie-break but failed to capitalise before Thiem eventually secured the win on his fifth match point.
Tsitsipas’s 6-1 4-6 7-6 (8-6) win over Rublev meant Thiem was all but dry with qualification for the tournament’s next round.
Defending champion Tsitsihas will battle Nadal on Thursday for a place in the semi-final against Thiem.
“It was a great match from the first to last point,” said Thiem after his spectacular win over Nadal.
“I was pretty lucky to get that first set after being 5-2 down in the tie-break.
“I had the feeling that the match was a very high level. The atmosphere would’ve been unreal [if fans were in the arena]. We put on a good show for those watching on television.”
With victory in his first match on Sunday preceding a high-quality game (albeit a loss) on Tuesday, Nadal is feeling confident ahead of his opening match on Sunday.
Nadal, who beat Rublev in straight sets in his opening match on Sunday, said the way he played against Thiem makes him feel confident for the rest of the tournament.
“It has been a great match of tennis decided for a few small details,” he said. “Just well done to him. He played, I think, an amazing match and I played well too.
“My feeling is not negative. I lost but I had plenty of chances in the first and then I had a break in the second. I think my chances are bigger to have a very good result now than five days ago because the level of tennis, even if I lost today, is much higher.”
Wednesday’s fixture
Group Tokyo 1970’s Alexander Zverev and Diego Schwartzman wil lock horns in what would be a first win of the tournament for whoever emerges victorious.
Number one seed, Novak Djokovic, will also seek his second win in the tournament when he faces Russian Daniel Medvedev – who also won the first match – in the day’s second game.
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