In Turin, Italy, Daniil Medvedev defeated Andrey Rublev 6-4 6-2 in their ATP Finals match in the Red Group, while Alexander Zverev triumphed over world number two Carlos Alcaraz 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4 on Monday.
The Russian friends Medvedev and Rublev were set for another intense showdown after facing off in the Dubai Open final and U.S. Open quarter-finals, with Medvedev, ranked third in the world, emerging victorious in both encounters. However, Rublev, who is ranked fifth in the world, appeared to lose hope after dropping the first set and failing to mount much of a challenge in the second.
“I played well before the tournament, and I was able to carry that form onto the court today. I felt really good and was able to gain the upper hand quickly,” said Medvedev about his strong start.
“I like to play aggressively on my serve, but Rublev’s playing style doesn’t allow me to do anything else because I don’t have the power of Alcaraz or Tsitsipas on my forehand,” he added.
Earlier on Monday, Zverev came from behind to defeat a lackluster Alcaraz in their opening match after two hours and 32 minutes. “My serve really helped me. Saving the break point in the first game of the second set was crucial,” Zverev said. “You don’t want to be a set and a break down against the world number two, so I’m happy.”
The seventh-ranked German is participating in the event for the sixth time, having previously won the title in Turin in 2021 and London in 2018. He missed last year’s edition due to a right ankle injury sustained during his Roland Garros semi-final against Rafael Nadal when he fell while hitting a forehand.
“I didn’t twist my ankle. I just slipped a little bit. There was some pain for a while, and I don’t think I did any damage. I hope not. We’ll see when it calms down. It’s nothing compared to Paris,” Zverev remarked.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
