Nadal eliminated from ATP Finals
After losing the first two matches of the group stage, Nadal needed Ruud to lose 0-2 to Fritz in the late match to keep his hopes of progressing slim. Nadal's chance was gone, when Fritz lost the first game and lost the first set 3-6 to Ruud. The early elimination also caused Nadal to miss the opportunity to finish the year at world number one.
"You don't have enough time to think about tactics on this court," Nadal said after two defeats. "The fast court gives the advantage to players who can serve well. I don't complain about that. I tried to adapt, but the opponent played better."
The final match of the group stage of Nadal and Ruud only has procedural significance with the "King of Clay". Ruud, after winning the first two matches, was still motivated in the last round. If he wins Nadal, the Norwegian player still hopes to win the championship with an undefeated record and receive a record prize money of 4.7 million USD.
The Ruud - Fritz match on November 15 saw up to 29 aces from two players. In the first two sets, each player won a ball game. In the decisive set, Ruud led 5-1 in the tie-break but let the opponent equalize the score 6-6. The adult player from Nadal's academy then won two decisive points to win tickets to the semi-finals. The second ticket in the Green group will belong to the winner of the match between Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last match.