Match review: Zverev and Rublev renew their rivalry in Turin
Alcaraz and Ruud also meet on the second day
November 10, 2024
The 2024 Nitto ATP Finals continue on Monday, after which all eight singles players and all eight doubles teams in Turin will have played a single match.
John Newcombe’s group begins singles play on day two, with Alexander Zverev taking on Andrey Rublev and Carlos Alcaraz taking on Casper Ruud. In the doubles competitions, Marcelo Arevalo and Mati Pavic, the first seeds, will face Germans Kevin Krawitz and Tim Puetz, before Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavasori will play with Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden.
[2] Alexander Zverev (Germany) vs. [8] Andrey Rublev
Zverev played the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals as the seventh seed to cap his comeback season from ankle surgery. He achieved two wins, but that was not enough to qualify for the playoffs.
This season, the German enters Torino as the No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings behind the ATP Masters 1000 titles in Rome and Paris, as well as a runner-up finish at Roland Garros.
“In 2023, I didn’t feel like I could compete in the big events. I was far from winning them,” Zverev said in Turin. “Being able to compete and get to the Grand Slam finals, and win the Masters 1000, that’s very satisfying.” “The big one for me because there were clear question marks if I would do it again after the injury.”
While Zverev clinched his return to the Nitto ATP Finals on September 1, when he advanced to the quarterfinals of the US Open, Rublev had to battle through the final week in the head-to-head PIF ATP race to Turin. In what he called a “rollercoaster” season, the 27-year-old won titles at the ATP 1000 in Madrid and in Hong Kong.
“It didn’t matter what negative thoughts I was giving myself about this season – that the season might not be good, or it might be the worst season of my career, or whatever – but realistically, I was able to make it here.” Rublev said in Turin. “And to get here, you have to have a really good season.”
He will be hoping to make his year even better by reaching the playoffs for the second time in his fifth consecutive appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals.
Zverev leads Rublev 6-3 in the Lexus ATP Head2Head Series, although Rublev has won three of their four meetings in 2023. Zverev’s only win over Rublev came last season in Turin. While Rublev is wary of Zverev’s aggressive, high-percentage serves, Zverev is focused on neutralizing his opponent’s power in the rematch.
“[He’s a] “He is a very strong and fast player,” the German said of Rublev. “He is trying to overpower you. The most important thing against him is not to let him.”
[3] Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) vs. [6] Casper Road (NOR)
A champion at four tour-level tournaments this season, including Wimbledon, Roland Garros and Indian Wells, Alcaraz is seeking his first title at the Nitto ATP Finals. The Spaniard will appear for only the second time in the year-end tournament, after reaching the semi-finals last year. Alcaraz also qualified for the season final in 2022, when he claimed No. 1 at the ATP Year-End Finals Presented by PIF – but missed the tournament with an abdominal injury.
Alcaraz lost his opening match last year in Turin to Zverev, but he enters this year “with a lot of motivation” to get off to a fast start: “I came here a little differently.” He added: “I approach this tournament a little differently, and I know that there are things I have to change if I want to achieve a good result here and go far.”
The Spaniard owns a 4-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Ruud, including a four-set win in the 2023 US Open final that doubled in a shootout for the world number one.
While Alcaraz rates the 2024 season so far an 8.5 out of 10, Ruud gave the Spaniard the highest marks of his young career as a whole.
“His career [is] “Already close to legendary,” the Norwegian said of his opponent. “I love watching him play. He’s so great for the sport. I don’t always like to play with him because… [he is] Really difficult. Usually it comes down to interesting points. He’s so electric, he can hit any shot in the world.
While Alcaraz may have a more illustrious career, Ruud has the edge when it comes to success at the Nitto ATP Finals. The Norwegian has qualified for the knockout rounds in each of his previous two appearances, reaching the 2021 semi-finals and the 2022 final. He owns a 5-4 record at the end of the season, compared to Alcaraz’s 2-2 mark.
Double action
Top seeds Arevalo and Pavic won four titles together in their first season as a team, including Roland Garros and the ATP Masters 1000 in Cincinnati. The first doubles team to qualify for Turin this year, the Salvadoran/Croatian duo also reached the final of the Rome Masters 1000. They face Kravitz and Peutz, the 2019 and 2020 Roland Garros champions, whose only title of 2024 came on home soil in Hamburg. .
Bolelli and Vavassori earned Torino’s fourth seed with three titles this season, one on each surface. Their opponents, Bopanna and Ebden, ranked sixth, won the Australian Open and Miami titles in 2024.
