Yevgeny Kafelnikov says Daniil Medvedev must stop Rafael Nadal finding his rhythm if he is to have any chance of US Open glory. The pair meet on Sunday with Medvedev aiming to continue a magical summer that saw him win in Cincinnatti on the back of a final defeat at the Rogers Cup.
That 3-6 0-6 loss to Nadal in Montreal saw him outclassed by the Spaniard and Kafelnikov says he must use a different plan to that match in August. Rather than engage his opponent in rallies, Medvedev has been told to make sure he disrupts the 18-time Grand Slam winner’s rhythm to have any chance of succeeding at Flushing Meadows.
Related: Nadal Edges Kyrgios In Stormy Clash
“If you want to just go and have fun on the court, it’s not going to cut it. You’re not going to win against Rafa,” Kafelnikov told the ATP site. “You need to go on the court with the mindset, ‘Okay, I’ve got a game plan. I need to stick to that game plan and execute it.’
“Daniil’s game has been that the longer the rally goes, the better chance that Daniil has to win the point. Tomorrow is going to be the opposite. “The longer the rallies go, Nadal will destroy him. So Daniil needs to shorten up the points, come into net as much as he can. It’s completely opposite of his game, I know, but that’s the only chance he can beat Nadal tomorrow.”
Copyright © 2024 Completesports.com All rights reserved. The information contained in Completesports.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Completesports.com.
COMMENTS