Nadal loses second match in ATP Finals

There were five chances to win the break-point game, but Nadal failed to take advantage, and paid the price with another white loss. The number two player in the world will be eliminated from the group stage, if Casper Ruud does not lose to Taylor Fritz in the late match on the same day.

Nadal's serve is almost non-threatening, with a serve win rate of just 57%, compared to Auger-Aliassime's 71%. The Spaniard also served one point directly, compared to 15 aces of his opponent. The break-point utilization of "King of Clay" is only 0%, while this rate of the fifth seed reaches 50%.

Nadal earned two break-points in the first game but failed to capitalize. He went on to win two more break points in the sixth game, and again let the opponent save.

The turning point came in game eight, when Nadal delivered and led 40-0, but Auger-Aliassime scored consecutively and stood before the first break-point. Unlike Nadal, the 22-year-old took advantage of the first opportunity to win the game of blocking. The crux of the game lies in the forehand shot out on the string, which failed Nadal.

Morale from set one was pulled by Auger-Aliassime to set two. In the third game in this set, the Canadian player had two break-points and successfully capitalized on the second chance. Nadal goes into the net but blocks the opponent's cross-court shot. In the next serve game, the Spaniard again faced a break-point, but he saved the game for the first time.

At decisive moments, Auger-Aliassime proved to be better than the senior. In game six, the world number six again suffered a break-point, but again he was saved because Nadal's return was too deep. It was also the former world number one's last chance, as Auger-Aliassime delivered well for the rest of the match and won 6-3, 6-4 on aggregate.

Nadal's defeat also helped Carlos Alcaraz almost certainly finish the year at world number one. And he will be the first teen player in the Open Era to do so. Auger-Aliassime is also young, but has already beaten all four players in the Big 4.

In the final round of the Blue ATP Finals, Nadal meets Ruud and Auger-Aliassime faces Fritz on November 17.