Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Nitto ATP Finals match.
Alexander Zverev, having enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career and finishing it ranked second in the world, is aiming for a strong start to the group stage. Andrey Rublev is determined to put up a fight and seek revenge for last year's defeat to the German in Turin. However, there are concerns about his form, as he has noticeably slowed down towards the end of the season.
Alexander Zverev
Zverev is at his peak, securing five consecutive victories on indoor courts, four of which ended convincingly. The German consistently dominates thanks to his powerful serve and reliable backhand, which is particularly crucial on Turin's fast courts. Moreover, Zverev is ranked second in the ATP rankings, marking one of the best seasons in his career with 66 wins, even surpassing the leader, Jannik Sinner, in terms of victories.
Andrey Rublev
Rublev, while showing flashes of strong play, generally struggles to maintain the pace, especially against top-10 opponents. This season, he has only won one out of nine matches against top-5 players on hard courts. Additionally, in his recent matches, the Russian has concluded six of seven indoor hard court games swiftly.
Alexander Zverev vs Andrey Rublev Prediction
Zverev is displaying a high level of play and mental resilience, which sets him apart from Rublev. The German has already defeated the Russian in Turin, and today he is poised to repeat that success with his more reliable serve and confident attack. Therefore, we'll take a 2-0 win for Zverev.
