There is only so far any hero can carry his tribe. Yet after a weary Novak Djokovic and Serbia limped through the quarter-finals of the ATP Cup into Saturday’s match against Russia, Rafael Nadal lost and won in the space of a few hours as Spain beat Belgium 2-1 to book an evening showdown with Australia. Neither will be easy.

It is asking a lot for either the world No 1 or No 2 to reach Sunday’s final of the inaugural 24-nation tournament, especially so close to the start of the Australian Open in Melbournea week later, but they will let nobody down.

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It was a minor rather than major shock that David Goffin beat Nadal 6-4, 7-6 (3), in the singles on Friday; his one win in five against the Spaniard arrived indoor on a hard court at the 2017 ATP World Tour Finals. But not many imagined Nadal and Pablo Carreño Busta would struggle so much in the deciding doubles before beating Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-7 (7), 7-5, 10-7.

“It was tough, not much time to adapt,” Nadal said. “The conditions were very heavy, big humidity. To play the singles then the doubles is always difficult, but we’re super happy to be in the semi-finals. We had the toughest situation possible in the cup, coming from Perth with the three-hour time change, finishing 1.10am, maybe not sleep before 4am. David played a great match. Better than me. I was suffering a lot physically today.”

If this was a classic night of struggle, controversy rumbles on elsewhere.

Fans and drop-in critics shocked by the tantrums of Daniil Medvedev this week may have forgotten that his Russian team coach, Marat Safin, roamed tennis like a wounded tiger two decades ago. It’s in the blood, as Safin used to say.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in their quarter-final match. Photograph: Mark Evans/EPA

Relishing their match against Serbia, he spoke with the bellicose intent that drove him then and lingers still. After watching Djokovic fight through three sets to beat Denis Shapovalov and put Canada out, Safin was adamant Medvedev – who bashed his racket against the umpire’s chair in a childish row during his match against Diego Schwartzman on Thursday - will catch the world No 2 off guard.

Safin was top of the rankings at the turn of the millennium and beat Lleyton Hewitt to win the Australian Open in 2005; he would go on to survive several years in the Duma, which was probably tougher than anything he did on a tennis court. Recalled from the jungle of Russian politics for this new event at 39, he has clicked with his skinny doppelganger.

Safin expects Karen Khachanov to beat Dusan Lajovic in the first match, piling pressure on Djokovic to keep Serbia in the tournament. Safin does not want the tie to go to a deciding doubles because he suspects Djokovic, like Nadal, would come to his country’s rescue there.

“It’s going to be a tough one, for sure,” Safin said. “It’s very important for Karen to win that first match so he gives some confidence to Daniil. Obviously he’ll have a chance – especially as Novak had the long match today [two hours and 40 minutes]. They are playing in the morning, so hopefully Novak will not recover well.

“They know each other [Djokovic prevailed in their first three matches but has lost to him twice since winning a tough four-setter at the 2019 Australian Open], how they play and the patterns of the game. One match against Shapovalov will not show [Medvedev] something extra. Plus, Shapovalov is a lefty; Novak is not going to serve and volley all the time. I think we can do it in the first two matches. I honestly believe so, even though Novak is Novak. I still believe that we will win in the two first matches, so we don’t have to go into the doubles.”

In the closing quarter-final, Goffin, outsmarted by Dan Evans in straight sets this week, resisted a fierce comeback by Nadal.

The tournament could hardly have wished for a better finish, with Nick Kyrgios hitting peak form for the home side and Nadal and Djokovic still in the frame. While Medvedev has been the tournament time bomb, Kyrgios has astounded those waiting for an explosion, but he surely is benefiting from a spell of half-decent behaviour during his ban, which runs out in March.

Meanwhile Evans, who left Sydney for Adelaide after beating two top 20 players – Goffin and Alex de Minaur – in the space of a week, will go to the Australian Open seeded for the first time – but without a shirt sponsor. He did not look overly concerned. If Medvedev is the volcano of tennis, Evans surely is the placid lake.