Qualification for the semifinal could be up for grabs on Day 4 at the Nitto ATP Finals. Five-time champion Novak Djokovic is in the ascendancy and could seal his place with a straight-sets win over Andrey Rublev. The prime-time match in the evening will see Stefanos Tsitsipas lock horns with Daniil Medvedev. Who do you think will come out on top?
ATP Finals Day 4 Predictions
Daniil Medvedev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Head-to-head: Medvedev 7-3 Tsitsipas
Medvedev’s defeat to Andrey Rublev was symptomatic of his inconsistency in 2022. The Russian is now staring at the possibility of a second round-robin defeat in Turin and a third defeat on the trot for the first time since 2020. His 17 defeats this year are the most he has suffered in a single season since 2019.
Tsitsipas, like Medvedev, opened up his ATP Finals campaign with a whimper and not a bang. A straight sets defeat to five-time champion Djokovic leaves him with all to play for against Medvedev. Tsitsipas’ offensive abilities have not been in doubt, nor has his athleticism. He lacks the mental composure to stay in the big moments, which was evident in defeats to the likes of Djokovic (in Astana and Paris) and Holger Rune in Stockholm. But I think he should be able to redeem himself in a pivotal clash on Wednesday.
Despite being occasionally erratic in his play, Tsitsipas does not slacken to finish off points from the backcourt and inside the forecourt with his forehand. His backhand is an area that will be exploited easily by Medvedev when they entangle in cat-and-mouse rallies. But the major concern is that Medvedev has been consistently substandard in his performances this season, almost to the extent of being indecisive in his shotmaking. The Greek No. 1 should be fancied to get his first win in the group.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
Novak Djokovic vs Andrey Rublev
Head-to-head: Djokovic 1-1 Rublev
Novak Djokovic was in full flight as he started his pursuit for a sixth title at the season-ending championship with a 7-6 6-4 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas. Djokovic has fallen short to tie Roger Federer’s record in previous years, but he remains the man to beat this week. He takes on Andrey Rublev at the ATP Finals for the second year in a row and with a chance to almost effectively seal his place in the last four.
How will Rublev fare physically after Monday’s draining victory over Daniil Medvedev? It’s a legitimate question to ask, but getting a day off to recharge his batteries puts him in a better position to challenge Djokovic. His hyper-aggressive style can force Djokovic into uncomfortable positions. The Russian is playing well and feeling confident. Last year, he barely laid a glove on the Serbian. However, the worrying pattern from his last match is that he is prone to squandering leads. At times, he found it difficult to shrug off the disappointment of losing the first set which was snatched from his grasp. Unless he cleans up his game and plays with a lot more regulation, this will likely be a swift victory for the seventh seed.
Prediction: Djokovic in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
