And so the challenge to become a tennis “Master” in 2021, today at 5pm, will be between world number two, Daniil Medvedev, and number 3, Alexander (Sascha) Zverev: this is the verdict of the semi-finals of the Nitto Atp Finals in Turin , the last tournament of the year, the most important after the four of the Grand Slam.
There was nothing to do last night for Nole Djokovic, at the top of the world ranking: he had to give in to a Zverev in a state of grace 7-6, 4-6, 6-3. Born in 1997, Olympic champion in Tokyo, two Master 1000 assets this year (Madrid and Cincinnati), already winner of the Finals in 2018 (at the expense of the Serbian), Zverev played a superb game, supported by his great service ( 71% of first balls, 62% of winning points on the second compared to 40% of the opponent). In the first set Nole, exactly ten years older than the German, returning from a group in which he had calmly liquidated his opponents (Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and Cameron Norrie), has a set point at 5-4 but cannot have regrets because Zverev places a winning service; on 5 all he cancels two break points, then in the tie break a double fault opens the way for Sascha who closes 7-4. In the second set, in a match that is always very balanced, on 4 equal the Serbian breaks Zverev’s serve and closes at the fifth set point. At the opening of the third set the German goes down 0-30 but it is he who breaks at 2 to 1, taking advantage of unusual mistakes by Nole who throws out the forehand, and goes to win 6-3 safely. After two and a half hours of tight exchanges and a few forays into the net by Djokovic (two of his beautiful demi-volleys), the result is there, Zverev seemed more solid on his batting rounds and made … the Djokovic of the situation, defending against one part of the field to another until the opponent’s error.
On the other hand, the German, since his debut here in Turin with the unfortunate Matteo Berrettini, had shown that he was in good shape. The battle a few days ago with Medvedev in the group, which ended in the third 8-6 at the tie break, will be repeated in today’s final.
For the Russian, just turned 25 and winner of the 2020 Finals, the semifinal was much simpler: in two sets (6-4, 6-2) he was right by Ruud, once again supported by the audience who had him accompanied in the decisive match of his group against Rublev. The 23-year-old Norwegian, however, never appeared able to worry the opponent, he tried to vary the game with dampers that in some cases paid off, but the pounding pace of the world number 2 (who on 2-1 in his favor he already took home the first break, making sure the first set, as at 3-2 in the second) he had the better. The excellent performance in this week in Turin remains for Ruud, from number 8, and in the course of a year in which he won five tournaments.
Today the challenge, live on Sky and Rai 2, promises to be as exciting as it is open. In the last five direct clashes the Russian has won, Zverev’s last victory dates back to the 2019 Finals.