The final of the 2021 ATP Finals should be one for the ages, as two of the top-three players in the world square off. Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev will play for the tour finals crown, as they each managed to outlast a star-studded field that included Novak Djokovic to get here. In our tennis predictions for Sunday, November 21, we look at Medvedev vs Zverev and determine who will walk out of Turin with the final trophy of the 2021 ATP Tour season.
Daniil Medvedev vs Alexander Zverev
Why Bet On Daniil Medvedev:
✅ Daniil Medvedev has owned Sascha Zverev of late, winning five straight matches over him and six of the last seven as well. That run includes two wins over Zverev this month, as Medvedev has beaten the German at the Paris Masters and during the group stage of this event. Though their matches are usually very competitive, Medvedev should be able to make it six straight.
✅ The semifinals should have helped Medvedev in his quest to finish this event without a loss. Medvedev had the early match on Saturday, making quick work of Casper Ruud in straight sets. Zverev, meanwhile, had to grind out a three-set win over world number one Novak Djokovic, in a match that surely took more out of him than Medvedev’s match took out of him.
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
✅ Daniil Medvedev has been dominant at the ATP Finals over the last two years. He is now 9-0 dating back to last year’s event, and is in position to claim the 1,500 ranking points that come from winning this event with a 5-0 record for the second straight year. Expect him to come out focused and ready to repeat his 2020 performance and to keep the points that come with it.
Daniil Medvedev
Entering this Medvedev vs Zverev final, there is only one player with a chance to get through this year’s ATP Finals at a perfect 5-0. That player is Daniil Medvedev, as he has beaten Hubert Hurkacz, Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud and Zverev to get to this point. Here, the Russian will need to beat Zverev one more time in order to claim his second straight undefeated ATP Finals campaign and championship.
The first match against Zverev was anything but easy, as both players split tiebreaks in the final two sets, with Medvedev taking the third set breaker to win the match. In this match, Medvedev will need to play within himself from start to finish to claim the title. He was guilty of rushing the net, which is completely outside of his game style, in the second set tiebreak during the group stage. He will need to avoid decisions like that to win what should be a tight matchup.
Alexander Zverev
Sascha Zverev had the much tougher semifinal match, but has made it to this Medvedev vs Zverev final nonetheless. The German number one beat world number one Novak Djokovic in three sets to punch his ticket to the final. Now he gets a second shot at Medvedev at this event, as he will look for his first win over the Russian since the 2019 ATP Finals, where Medvedev went 0-3 in the group stage.
In this match, Zverev doesn’t need to change much from what he did against Medvedev in the group stage. His huge serve and bludgeoning groundstrokes will make him a threat from the start of this match to the final ball. This match will come down to fine margins, though, and Zverev will need to lock in and execute in pressure situations, which hasn’t always been his forte.