The year-ending championship, the ATP World Tour Finals, has thrown some exciting match-ups. One such battle is set to take place today between Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev. The two hail from the same country, Russia, and are good friends off the court despite being strong on-court rivals. They have been drawn in the same Red Group, which also features Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. Medvedev’s tie against Rublev will cap off Day 2 of the event in Turin.

While Medvedev is a former champion here, Rublev will look to better his semifinal finish last year. For both, it will be important to start off strong, and what better opportunity than against one’s good friend but an even better rival?

Daniil Medvedev vs. Andrey Rublev: Preview

Medvedev has been his usual self, with consistent showings across the tournaments this year. Although he has failed to win any major Grand Slam titles this year, the Russian star still has wins at the Miami Open and the Italian Open, alongside three other titles.

However, his recent displays on the hard courts – which are usually his forte – have been somewhat of a concern. Earlier this month, he lost in the second round of the Paris Masters. Similarly, he also faced an early exit at the Shanghai Masters. Thus, Medvedev will look to better his performances of late when he takes on Rublev.

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On the other hand, Rublev is entering the tournament on the back of good form. He reached the semifinals of the Paris Masters, before losing against eventual champion Novak Djokovic. Further, he had semifinal and final appearances in Vienna and Shanghai, respectively. Although Rublev’s two titles have come on clay courts this year, he has shown consistent performances on hard courts, the surface of the ATP World Tour Finals.

Medvedev vs. Rublev: Head-to-Head

While it is no secret that the two are good friends off the court, they also have an intriguing on-court rivalry that began at the 2019 Cincinnati Masters. The former World Number 1 dominated his rivalry against Rublev, winning the first four matches against him. However, Rublev came back stronger to notch up wins against Medvedev in Cincinnati and the ATP World Tour Finals. In the eight matches between them, Medvedev has won 6 matches, with Rublev winning 2.

Further, the two have faced off just twice this year, with Medvedev reigning supreme in both encounters. Thus, Rublev has to be at his best, if he has to prevail over his good friend.

Prediction: Medvedev to win in straight sets

Although Andrey Rublev has been playing some of his best tennis lately, his record against Medvedev is not very promising. Additionally, the former World Number 1 has had comfortable victories against Rublev this year. As a result, Medvedev is predicted to win the contest against Rublev in straight sets and begin his campaign in Turin on a positive note.

Their match will be the fourth match of Day 2 and will begin at 3 PM ET. Who are you rooting for in this enticing clash? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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