Game preview
Alcaraz and Rublev met again in Turin
Zverev, Ruud exit the evening session scene
November 12, 2024
ATP
Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev are tied 1-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
By ATP staff
The 2024 Nitto ATP Finals continues to wrap up the knockout rounds with action on Wednesday, as Team John Newcombe players travel to the Inalpi Arena for their second round matches.
Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev both sought their first wins of the week in a tough afternoon match, before Day 2 winners Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud battled it out in the evening for top spot in the group. Day 4 doubles action will see top seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic take on Matthew Ebden and Rohan Bopanna, before Italians Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli take on Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.
[3] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [8] Andrei Rublev
Alcaraz struggled with the lingering effects of a stomach ailment in his loss to Ruud, but the round-robin format of the Nitto ATP Finals could provide a remedy. Rather than being sent home by his first defeat, the number 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings has a chance to recover and advance to the knockout rounds in Turin.
“Looking at how I felt, it’s hard to think about the semis,” Alcaraz said Monday. “The great thing about this game is that your game can feel really bad one day and great the next.”
Last year in his Turin debut, Alcaraz lost to Zverev in his opening match before reaching the semis again. He began his tournament turnaround by beating Rublev in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.
“There are many players who lost in the first game of the league [Nitto] The ATP final and he ended up winning,” said Alcaraz. “Now I want to take it day by day, to feel better, and see what the next match is like. I will come as close as I can. Let’s hope things go well.”
Rublev avenged his Turin defeat to Alcaraz by beating the Spaniard en route to winning the Madrid ATP Masters 1000 title this season. The strange thing is that it was Rublev who was feeling sick when he was creating that event.
“In the end I think it forced me to play more relaxed, because the only way I could win matches was to play aggressively and try to run a little,” Rublev recently told ATPTour.com, which chronicled his year.
Rublev doesn’t need an excuse to play attacking tennis, but his experience against Alcaraz in Madrid could lead to a similar approach in Turin. In the fast-paced conditions at the Inalpi Arena, the one who can throw the first punch in a rally may knock out his opponent in this heavyweight fight.
Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud” style=”width:100%;” src=”
[2] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs. [6] Casper Ruud [NOR]Although this will be their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in Turin, Zverev and Ruud have played exclusively at the major stages of the game in their last five tournaments. After meeting at the ATP Masters 1000s in Cincinnati, Paris and Miami, they split the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2023 and 2024. Zverev leads the series 3-2, including a win that sent him to his first Roland Garros final. this year.
Zverev did not face a break point in his Turin opener against Rublev, according to Infosys ATP Stats. He also converted both of his break chances into effective and commanding opening performances. More than any other competitor this year, the Nitto ATP Finals champion knows the path to success at the end of the season.
“For anyone here, you have to play as hard as you can to have a chance, you have to be strong [and] mentally tough,” he said after his first win. “I feel like I did that today, I felt like I took advantage of my opportunities and obviously I’m happy with this win.”
Ruud was so happy with his victory over Alcaraz, he even counted the Spaniard’s day off.
“It’s only one game, but it’s one of the best wins of the season for me,” he said. “I have never been [full of] confidence in the last weeks or months, so it was a good win for me and hopefully I can build on it, and I’d like to get some more wins while I’m in Turin. “
Both Zverev and Ruud will need to recalibrate their games after facing tough opponents in their first match. While both players pack plenty of punch – especially on Zverev’s serve and Ruud’s forehand – they are more than content to bide their time in the circles as they seek advantage.
The result of this chess match will determine who ends up on Wednesday in first place in the John Newcombe Group with a record of 2-0. While the winner will be in the bottom position to reach the playoffs, the loser may face a must-win situation in their final playoff round.
Double action
Top seeds Arevalo and Pavic are trying to bounce back from early losses to Krawietz and Puetz on Day 4. The El Salvador/Croatian team, champions at Roland Garros and Cincinnati this year, will face sixth seeds Bopanna and Ebden, the Australian winner. The Open and Miami in 2024. Neither team took a set in their opening match.
Home favorites Bolelli and Vavassori hope to continue Italy’s success in Turin when they face Krawietz and Puetz. Bolelli and Vavassori want to match what the Germans did this year in Hamburg by winning the title in their country.
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