Day 2 at the ATP Finals will be headlined by the five-time champion Novak Djokovic who is set for a Paris Masters rematch against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Russian duo of Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev will contest the opening match in the red group. Who will get off to a winning start?
ATP Finals Day 2 Predictions
Daniil Medvedev vs Andrey Rublev
Head-to-head: Medvedev 5-1 Rublev
Daniil Medvedev remained tight-lipped when quizzed on who will win the title this week. But the 26-year-old is a sizable favorite to clinch his second Nitto ATP Finals crown. For the majority of this season, Medvedev has looked like a shadow of the player that took many by storm in his career-best year in 2021. Injuries have played a part in his short-lived reign at the top of the rankings. He missed a huge chunk of the clay-court swing due to hernia surgery and didn’t feature at Wimbledon due to the Russian ban. Still, Medvedev will be expected to channel that frustration into positive energy and end his season on a high note. A title win in Vienna at the end of last month should aid his cause.
Medvedev will face a familiar foe in Andrey Rublev. In six previous meetings, he has beaten his compatriot five times without dropping a set. However, it is pertinent to note that Rublev managed to get the better of Medvedev in their last encounter in Cincinnati last year. Rublev has undoubtedly enjoyed a better season than his countryman. He hasn’t qualified out of the group in his last two appearances at the season-ending championships, so that could add some substance to his game. Neither player is expected to hold back off the ground. Rublev’s forehand is probably the most lethal shot in men’s tennis. While Medvedev’s ability to constantly flip defence into attack makes him a stoic opponent. The head-to-head in this matchup cannot be ignored and Medvedev should hold the edge once again.
Prediction: Medvedev in 3
Novak Djokovic vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Head-to-head: Djokovic 9-2 Tsitsipas
Djokovic has the extra incentive of matching Roger Federer’s record of six titles at the season-ending finale, but he hasn’t won this event since 2015. It became increasingly difficult down the years to cross the finish line, with the emergence of players like Zverev, Tsitsipas, and Medvedev, who have each accounted for at least one title win.
Djokovic, however, is not clutching at straws anymore after a tumultuous first half of the season. He looks energized and refreshed for a deep run here. Had it not been for the brilliance of Holger Rune, we would still be talking of a possible unblemished streak in the second half of the year. If their last meeting is anything to go by, we are set for another classic between Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Tsitsipas rubbed shoulders with the Serb in Bercy. And he came within a few points from securing his first win in the series in three years. The Greek changed his approach and tweaked a few aspects of his game. He abolished the use of spin and instead hit flatter. Tsitsipas will need to avoid getting entangled in cross-court rallies targeting his backhand more often. This will be tight, just like in Paris, where Tsitsipas will try to prevent Djokovic from getting into any kind of stride down the stretch. But the five-time champion should dig out another gutsy win.
Prediction: Djokovic in 3
Main Photo from Getty Images
