Powerhouse Team Russia features singles players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, while surprise finalist Team Italy is represented by a red-hot Matteo Berrettini and Fabio Fognini. Here is a look at Sunday’s two singles matches.
(RUS) Daniil Medvedev vs. (ITA) Matteo Berrettini
Italy’s top player, world No. 10 Matteo Berrettini, put up a series of impressive–and even in some cases improbable wins–this week en route to the ATP Cup final. Berrettini, whose 2020 season was largely disappointing, kicked off the event with a drubbing of U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem. He went on to dispatch Gael Monfils in straight sets and then Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain again in straights in Saturday’s semifinals.
His ATP Cup final opponent is the world No. 4, Daniil Medvedev. The Russian had a similarly impressive run to the final. He beat Diego Schwartzman and Kei Nishikori in straight sets, while going the distance against Alexander Zverev in the semis.
This has the makings of a real barnburner of a match. Berrettini is on a hot streak and comes into the match striking the ball particularly well. Medvedev, meanwhile, had the best series of wins in his career so far to take the title at the Nitto ATP Finals. He won every one of his matches in London, which included victories over Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Thiem, and Zverev. It doesn’t get much more impressive than that!
Berrettini and Medvedev have met just once before, but it was back in 2018 before either player broke through. The Russian won that one in three tight sets. Given the fact that Medvedev’s form seems to have continued straight into 2021, expect the Russian to pocket a second win over Berrettini.
Cheryl pick: Medvedev in 3
Ricky pick: Medvedev in 2
(RUS) Andrey Rublev vs. (ITA) Fabio Fognini
You never know what to expect from Fabio Fognini. The Italian vacillates wildly from brilliant to shockingly poor and back to brilliant again for no apparent reason. In 2019, he beat Nadal on the clay courts of the Monte-Carlo Country Club and took the title, In 2020, he finished the season with a miserable 6-10 record, lost in the first round of the French Open to Mikhail Kukushkin, and suffered a shocking loss at the hands of Marc-Andrea Huesler in the first round of Kitzbuhel.
Of course, as of a day ago, Fognini is brilliant again. The Italian started his ATP Cup with a loss to Dennis Novak but secured his country’s spot in the finals with a surprise win over Pablo Carreno Busta in the semis.
Unlike Fognini, Andrey Rublev had the year of his career in 2020. The Russian was very clearly the breakout star of the season, with a ATP-high five titles to his name. Like his Russian teammate, he seems to have carried his form into 2021; Rublev is 3-0 in his ATP Cup matches.
So far this hasn’t been a kind matchup for Rublev. Fognini holds a daunting 5-1 record over Sunday’s opponent. Still, they haven’t played since 2019–before Rublev found his current form. Fognini, who struck the ball with inspiration against PCB, is perfectly capable of troubling even an in-form Rublev…but this one should go the Russian’s way.
Cheryl pick: Rublev in 3
Ricky pick: Rublev in 2
WWW?
Med in 2; Rublev in 2 (though Fog did look pretty darn good last night!)