Paris Masters: Rafael Nadal downs Busta, enters semis

The top seed edged a tight second set before racing through the decider to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-1

Paris: Rafael Nadal set up a Paris Masters semifinal against Alexander Zverev with a comeback victory over Pablo Carreno Busta on Friday, ending his fellow Spaniard’s ATP Tour Finals hopes.

The top seed edged a tight second set before racing through the decider to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. Nadal, who claimed his 1,000th career victory earlier this week, is bidding for a first Paris Masters title. “I think in the third I started to return better,” said the 34-year-old.

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“The problem was he was playing well and I was not able to return well, so he was winning his serves very comfortably so when that happens you’re able to play more aggressive.” Zverev edged out Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) to make the semis for the first time.

Carreno Busta had to take the trophy on Sunday and win next week’s event in Sofia to be sure of qualification for the season-ending event in London, but his defeat gives Diego Schwartzman the last spot. Argentinian Schwartzman missed the chance to seal a Tour Finals debut earlier in the day with a 6-3, 6-1 loss to Daniil Medvedev, who will face Milos Raonic in the other semifinal.

Nadal has won five of his six meetings with Zverev, but lost their last meeting at the 2019 Tour Finals.

Carreno Busta started strongly, making up for missing a break point early on by breaking Nadal in the seventh game before going on to take the opening set.

The world number two was in trouble when 0-40 down in the first game of the second set, but he managed to save the three straight break points. He came through two tough service games late in the set, before fighting back from 40-15 down when Carreno Busta was serving to force a tie-break.

Canadian 10th seed Raonic made the semifinals by seeing off French hope Ugo Humbert 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7).