2019 US Open Final Preview: Rafael Nadal takes on first-time Major finalist Daniil Medvedev

18-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal extended the Big Three's run of consecutive Grand Slam final appearances to 13, stretching back to the 2016 US Open, after he beat Matteo Berrettini in straight sets to reach his fifth Flushing Meadows final.

Nadal's opponent in the final, Daniil Medvedev notched up his 50th win of the season and 37th on hardcourt by beating Roger Federer's conqueror, Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets in the other semi-final, to book a spot in his first Grand Slam title match.

In the lone clash between Nadal and Medvedev in the past, the latter won only three games in the Coupe Rogers final in Canada earlier this year. But the Russian seeks to become the first debutant Grand Slam finalist to beat Nadal since Stanislas Wawrinka at the 2014 Australian Open.

Medvedev, who with his big serves and blistering groundstrokes can take the racquet out of the hands of the best players on tour, would fancy his chances against his Spanish opponent in the final. He is the first Russian men's singles Grand Slam finalist since his illustrious compatriot Marat Safin won the 2005 Australian Open. The young Russian would strive to become the fifth player in the last twenty years, since Novak Djokovic (2018), Nadal (2013), Federer (2005) and Andy Roddick (2003) to complete the Cincinnati - US Open double.

This is the first time since 2007 that the same pair of finalists would contest the finals of Coupe Rogers and the US Open. In that year, the Coupe Rogers finalist, Federer went on to lift the title at the US Open. Medvedev would hope to continue that trend when he takes on Nadal in the Flushing Meadows final.

This would be the seventh time (second time at the US Open), Nadal would face a first-time Slam finalist in a Major final. The Spanish left-hander is 5-1 in all such clashes (beat Dominic Thiem at 2018 French Open, Kevin Anderson at 2017 US Open, David Ferrer at 2013 French Open, Tomas Berdych at 2010 Wimbledon, and Mariano Puerta at 2005 French Open) with his only reverse coming against Stanislas Wawrinka at the 2014 Australian Open.

This is the 27th Grand Slam final (18-8) for Nadal, who is 3-1 in US Open finals, with his only loss coming against Novak Djokovic in 2011. The Spaniard's last loss in a Slam final was against Djokovic at the Australian Open earlier in the season.

Nadal won his third US Open title in 2017

Victory for Nadal would give his fourth crown at Flushing Meadows, which would tie him in joint-second place with John McEnroe in the list of most US Open wins in the Open Era, and would extend the Big Three's Grand Slam winning streak to 12.

Medvedev's triumph would mark the first instance of a player since Marin Cilic (2014) to win his first Grand Slam title at the US Open.

A win over Nadal would make Medvedev the youngest US Open champion since Juan Martin del Potro (2009) and the first Russian winner at Flushing Meadows since Safin (2000). Regardless of the outcome in the final, Medvedev is slated to ascend to a career-high world No. 4 following his exploits at the last Grand Slam tournament of the year.

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