Although both players are still looking for Grand Slam breakthroughs following respective runner-up finishes at the U.S. Open in 2019 and 2020, outside of the Big 3 Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev are the masters of Masters 1000s. One will add another such title to their hall when they clash at the Rolex Paris Masters on Sunday afternoon.
Medvedev captured each of his two Masters 1000 titles last year in Cincinnati and Shanghai while also finishing runner-up in Montreal. The fifth-ranked Russian lost in the first round of this Paris event in 2019, but that was in large part due to fatigue on the heels of six consecutive final appearances. Fewer wins and far fewer matches have left Medvedev healthy and well-rested for Paris and London this time around. So far it is showing in his game, as the 24-year-old is through to Sunday’s championship match thanks to victories over Kevin Anderson (via retirement), Alex de Minaur, Diego Schwartzman, and Milos Raonic. Medvedev has won six consecutive sets while being pushed to only one tiebreaker by Raonic.
Well-rested is not something that would describe Zverev, who is bidding for a fourth Masters 1000 winner’s trophy. The seventh-ranked German captured back-to-back titles in Cologne last month and his run to the Paris final included a three-hour affair against Adrian Mannarino on Thursday. Zverev has also taken out Miomir Kecmanovic, Stan Wawrinka, and Rafael Nadal–extending his winning streak to 12 matches (all indoors).
Although Zverev leads the head-to-head series 5-1, four of his wins came prior to Medvedev’s 2019 rise to prominence (they were in 2018 or earlier) and the other took place at last fall’s Nitto ATP Finals when Medvedev was totally out of gas. Medvedev’s lone success in this matchup occurred in the Shanghai final last fall, when the Russian rolled 6-4, 6-1.
Even if Zverev continues to serve well, which is no guarantee, the surface is playing slow enough for Medvedev to play his way into rallies. Once there, the 24-year-old appears to be back to his machine-like self. During his six-set winning streak, he has posted scores of 6-2, 6-2 (the last two sets against de Minaur) and 6-3, 6-1 (against Schwartzman, who is London bound).
If the Medvedev of old remains on display, he will be too good for Zverev just like he was last year in Shanghai.
Pick: Medvedev in 3
WWW?
Because of indoor, Zverev will take this. Medvedev’s form is average, too.
Medvedev in three
Though it’s hard to pick against a player who’s just beaten Nadal
Nadal couldn’t return his big serve! Meddy in 3.
Well done us
Zverev will win in 2 , Daniil had a good tournoment but has been playing average and I think zverev will mentally beat him today. 7-6 6-3
Zverev, looking very good. Maybe fav for atp finals too
Medvedev looked very impressive. Like him a lot, such an intelligent player. Zverev crumbled rather disappointingly in the 3rd. Fitness issues and no plan B.