Stefanos Tsitsipas Is Set To Meet World Number One Novak Djokovic In The Madrid Open Final, After Triumph Over Clay Court Specialist Rafael Nadal.

The 20-year-old Greek professional tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas has made a tennis history after defeating the 32-year-old Spanish Rafael Nadal in the Semi-final of the Madrid Open in what is said to be one of his biggest wins in his remarkable career, and he is set to face World number one Novak Djokovic in the final.

Tsitsipas defeats Nadal

The current 9th-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas Saturday trashed 2nd-ranked Rafeal Nadal 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 on Spanish soil in a thrilling encounter. It was his first career win over a player ranked in the top 2, and at 20 years and 9 months of age, Tsitsipas becomes the youngest player to ever complete a full set of wins against Roger Federer at this years Australian Open, Nadal on his favorite surface and Novak Djokovic in the Rogers Cup in Toronto last August.

Tsitsipas is now set to meet top seed Novak Djokovic who advanced to the finals after seeing off last years Austrian runner-up Dominic Thiem who won the Barcelona Open last Month and  was on eight match winning streak, 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-4). in a breathtaking match lasting two hours and 22 minutes.

Stefanos Tsitsipas said: "It means the world, it's really nice to be able to play this way, it's an unbelievable feeling.

"I had to show mental discipline, and being tough and decisive in those crucial moments was key, I had to take all opportunities because Rafa is a fighter, he doesn't give you many points."

Tsitsipas also added that, He is looking forward to another match with the Serbian.

"I'll have to be mentally prepared for Djokovic, I'm sure he wants the title as badly as me."

The eleven times French Open champion, Rafael Nadal's disappointing defeat to Tsitsipas was his third straight semi-final exit on clay after losing to Fabio Fognini in the Monte Carlo Masters and Dominic Thiem in the Barcelona Open. Nadal's bid for a sixth Madrid Open was jeopardized .

Rafael Nadal said: "It’s not been a good match. I fought and did a couple of good things mentally. I trained around 5pm and it was very hot but it was more windy, more cold. I felt the ball better yesterday. It’s not been my best night. My opponent has been better, when that happens you lose."

Nadal continued. "My feeling is that it was more about me. That’s my truth, maybe not the truth, but mine. I don’t think I would lose the match if I played like Barcelona 2018 or Australia this year. I didn’t play a good match. I fought. The conditions at night were totally different compared to yesterday, despite the similar hour. More windy."