Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev will be looking to take control of Group B at the Nitto ATP Finals when they clash on Tuesday night.
Both players began their Turin campaigns with a one in the win column on Sunday, although they did so in much different fashion. Medvedev overcame Hubert Hurkacz 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 in a match that featured extremely swift service holds with very few break chances. Zverev and Berrettini played a one-hour and 19-minute first set (won by the German 9-7 in a tiebreaker) with a whole host of tough service games. Berrettini eventually retired in the second game of set two because of an abdominal injury.
Medvedev is now on a six-match winning streak at the year-end championship, having captured the title in its final stop in London with a perfect 5-0 record. The second-ranked Russian is also 23-3 since the Olympics.
Zverev is a former champion of this event, as well, having lifted the trophy in 2018. However, he has also been eliminated in the group stage twice in four appearances–including last year, when he opened with a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Medvedev.
The overall head-to-head series is all tied up at 5-5, but that hardly tells the real story. Medvedev once trailed 4-0 and has since won five of their last six encounters–and four in a row dating back to last season’s Paris Masters final. They just faced each other in the Paris semis this time around, with Medvedev dominating 6-2, 6-2.
A lightning-fast hard court only helps the No. 2 seed’s chances, as Zverev is more inconsistent from the baseline especially off the forehand side. Timing can be an issue for him to a much greater extent than it can be for Medvedev. Based on the surface, recent matchup history, and current form, all signs point to a mostly routine day at the office for Medvedev.
Pick: Medvedev in 2
who ya got?
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Was doing that to me too.My system told me it was a “bad gateway,”
Med in 2….but should be great tennis!
Almost until the last ball of the 3rd set tie break, I was convinced Zverev would win, but no, he just couldn’t.