Ricky’s Tennis Preview and Picks for the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin • or isn’t it Torino Italy

By Ricky Dimon

Will Novak Djokovic win the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time since 2015 to cap off his record-setting seventh year atop the rankings? Will Daniil Medvedev go back-to-back and set himself up to make a charge for world No. 1 in 2022? Or will an outsider crash the party in this event’s debut in Milan following 12 years in London?

We will find out the answer to those questions starting on Sunday, when Group B–headlined by Medvedev–kicks off the action. Djokovic and the rest of Group A will take center stage on Monday.

Draw

Group A
Novak Djokovic
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Andrey Rublev
Casper Ruud

Group B
Daniil Medvedev
Alexander Zverev
Matteo Berrettini
Hubert Hurkacz

There’s Djokovic and Medvedev, and then there’s everyone else.

Alexander Zverev seemed to be on par with the top two players in the world when the German caught fire this summer, but an alarming 6-2, 6-2 loss to Medvedev in the recent Paris Masters final put an end to that notion. Still, Zverev’s presence in Group B is the main reason why it has to be considered the more difficult round-robin quartet. Moreover, Matteo Berrettini is playing at home in front of an Italian crowd and Hubert Hurkacz’s impressive run of form propelled him into the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time in his career.

Djokovic appears to have a friendlier draw in Group B. Tsitsipas has been slumping ever since he lost to the top-ranked Serb from two sets up in the French Open final. The Greek is also dealing with some arm trouble, so his Turin prospects are less than encouraging. Rublev has also cooled off of late, and year-end championship debutant Casper Ruud may not have the firepower to hang with the best players in the world on a consistent basis for three matches.

Picks

Group A
Djokovic over Ruud in 2
Rublev over Tsitsipas in 3
Djokovic over Rublev in 2
Ruud over Tsitsipas in 3
Rublev over Ruud in 3
Tsitsipas over Djokovic in 2

Group B
Medvedev over Hurkacz in 2
Berrettini over Zverev in 3
Medvedev over Berrettini in 2
Zverev over Hurkacz in 2
Medvedev over Zverev in 3
Berrettini over Hurkacz in 3

Semifinals: (1A) Djokovic over (2B) Berrettini in 3, (1B) Medvedev over 2A) Rublev in 2

Final: Medvedev over Djokovic in 3

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.