Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will be squaring off for the seventh time in their careers when they clash during round-robin competition at the Nitto ATP Finals on Wednesday night.
Djokovic is leading an entertaining head-to-head series by a 4-2 margin. Only one of their six previous encounters has ended in straight sets and the last three have all required final sets. They have faced each other once this season, when top-ranked Serb prevailed 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 at the ATP Cup to halt a two-match losing streak against Medvedev.
This marks their first-ever London matchup in Medvedev’s second appearance at the event. The fourth-ranked Russian went 0-3 in 2019, but he is far more rested for the 2020 year-end championship. That is the one benefit of not playing–and also not winning–as many matches as he did last season. However, Medvedev is starting to win plenty now. The 23-year-old is coming off a title at the Paris Masters and he began this week with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alexander Zverev.
Djokovic eased past London debutant Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-2 on Monday. It was a much needed positive start for the 33-year-old, who got crushed by Rafael Nadal in the French Open and even by Lorenzo Sonego in the Vienna quarters.
Although Djokovic is clearly back in good form, he will have to do a lot more than beat Schwartzman in order to prove he is motivated for a fifth London title despite having already wrapped up the year-end No. 1 ranking. This should be one of the best matches of the week with a ton of wild rallies, and an upset by a rejuvenated Medvedev is certainly well within reason.
Pick: Medvedev in 3
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