In a compelling start to the ATP Finals’ Red Group, Daniil Medvedev showcased his prowess by convincingly defeating Andrey Rublev with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-2. Simultaneously, Alexander Zverev displayed resilience in overcoming world number two Carlos Alcaraz in a hard-fought battle, securing a 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4 victory on Monday.
The clash between Russian compatriots Medvedev and Rublev, who had previously faced off in the Dubai Open final and the U.S. Open quarter-finals, unfolded as a one-sided affair in Medvedev’s favor. Despite the anticipation of another epic showdown, Medvedev, ranked third in the world, emerged victorious in both previous encounters. Rublev, ranked fifth, found himself struggling after dropping the first set and faltering in the second.
Reflecting on his winning start, Medvedev expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I played great before the tournament, and I managed to put it on the court now. I felt really good and was able to gain the upper hand quickly.” He acknowledged the challenge posed by Rublev’s playing style, limiting his options on the serve.
In the earlier match on Monday, Zverev showcased resilience by rallying from a set down to defeat the world number two, Carlos Alcaraz, in a marathon match lasting two hours and 32 minutes. Zverev attributed his success to the effectiveness of his serve, emphasizing its pivotal role in saving a crucial break point in the second set.
“My serve helped me a lot. Saving the break point in the first game of the second set helped me,” said Zverev. Reflecting on the intensity of the match, he added, “You don’t want to go down a set and a break against the world number two, so I’m happy.”
The victory marked Zverev’s sixth appearance at the ATP Finals, with previous triumphs in Turin in 2021 and London in 2018. Despite a momentary scare when he hit a forehand and appeared to twist his ankle, Zverev clarified that it was a minor slip, not comparable to the injury suffered during the Roland Garros semi-final against Rafael Nadal last year.
“I didn’t twist my ankle. I slipped a little bit. There was pain for a while, and I don’t think any damage was done. I hope not; we’ll see when it calms down. It’s nothing comparable to Paris,” Zverev reassured regarding his brief injury scare.
