The last spot in the semis of the Nitto ATP Finals will come down to Novak Djokovic vs. Alexander Zverev on Friday night.
Both players are 1-1 through two matches in London, while Daniil Medvedev has clinched the Group A victory at 2-0 and Diego Schwartzman (0-2) has been mathematically eliminated. Djokovic opened with a 6-3, 6-2 rout of Schwartzman but then got crushed by Medvedev 6-3, 6-3. Zverev bounced back from a 6-3, 6-4 loss to the Russian by beating the Argentine 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
The seventh-ranked German has been literally unbeatable for anyone except Medvedev during this indoor hard-court swing. He is 0-2 against the world No. 4 since the French Open and 13-0 against everyone else. This stretch includes back-to-back titles in Cologne and a runner-up performance at the Paris Masters.
Djokovic’s performance against Medvedev continued a worrisome trend, although by his own admission he probably isn’t too concerned about it. With the year-end No. 1 ranking already locked up, the 33-year-old simply went through the motions in Vienna and got blown out by Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 6-1–admitting afterwards that his motivation level was far less than 100 percent. Djokovic also skipped the Paris Masters.
Zverev should take additional confidence from his history in this head-to-head series. It stands at a competitive 3-2 in Djokovic’s favor, including 1-1 inside the O2 Arena. Both of those showdowns came in 2018, when the Serb prevailed 6-4, 6-1 in round-robin competition only to see Zverev respond with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph in the final.
This should be another great opportunity for the in-form 23-year-old. If he serves well, Zverev will have every chance to upset an opponent who appears to be ready for the offseason. Granted that’s a big “if” given Zverev’s occasional service woes, but the fact that he double-faulted just three times in three sets against Schwartzman is encouraging.
Pick: Zverev in 3
WWW?
Djoko will come through. Djoko’s level was quite good through the Med match. Med just played great. Zverev’s serve still looks quite poor and uncertain
Zverev in 2 sets.
Our man looks zoned in tonight👀👀
🤪😅😅😅
Djokovic easily.
This is a do or dies match. It can go either way. However, I think Zverev will get through if he serves well. Sorry, I have enough big 3. I want something new.
If it goes 3 sets then Djokovic will stand a better chance … https://www.138mph.com/djokovic-must-beat-zverev-after-the-loss-to-medvedev/
So Nole did want to win!
Yes amy but thiem djoko can be cracker .who is fav both for djoko thiem n meddy rafa
Btw do rafa meddy play first tomm ..is order of play out
Google says rafa med first but on twitter sumone said djoko thiem
Rafa meddy are in the evening sanju!
I don’t know who is fave. Pretty sure Ricky will pick meddy to beat Rafa and Dom to beat Nole. Definitely the former.
Both matches are tossups .can go either way…
I hope it’s a rafa thiem final..
I feel it will be rafa thiem or djoko meddy…other 2 combos rafaole or meddythiem won’t happen
If novak is in final..he wins it for sure
Nole was beaten by Zverev in the final! I don’t think it’s a given he wins. Meddy just beat him easily…
Agreed! Just saying that is how I think Ricky will pick..
U mean second ? Damn…that’s bad..less recovery time for final
Nole won’t lose twice in row to meddy same tourney n nole surely has huge adv over rafa on these courts
I hope it is not a Rafole final.. if Rafa loses Djoko erases some of the the scars.. if Rafa wins, Djoko will only be more determined than ever if a Ao final materialises between them.. only plus is Rafa would have won a atp finals trophy over Djoko the Hc king
God this was an unbereably dumb comment. Wow.