Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev will be in familiar territory when they clash in Nitto ATP Finals round-robin play on Monday.
Friends and countrymen Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are two of the most consistent players on tour. So consistent, in fact, that they also met during the round-robin stage of the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals. Rublev has made four consecutive year-end championships, while Medvedev has been on this stage five times.
Medvedev, the world No. 3, has dominated this matchup. The 2021 U.S. Open champion leads the head-to-head series 6-2, with a pair of straight-set wins in Dubai and at the U.S. Open in 2023 over his Davis Cup teammate. He has had a good year, including five titles, but he ended the season without adding a Grand Slam to his trophy case.
Rublev won his first Masters 1000 title in 2023, but his performance in the majors was a bit underwhelming for such a talented player. He made three quarterfinals but crashed out of the French Open in the third round. He has been in strong form this fall and comes into Turin off a week’s rest and a semifinal showing at the Paris Masters.
This should be a real battle, unlike their last two matches. Rublev plays well at this event and Medvedev was far from fantastic at the Paris Masters. The third seed should still have the edge, but a win for the underdog would not be a shock.
Cheryl pick: Medvedev in 3
Ricky pick: Rublev in 3
who ya got?
Rublev in 3