Alexander Zverev ends season on a high with straight-set win against Andrey Rublev – ‘Gives me great hope’

Alexander Zverev recorded a 6-4 6-4 victory against Andrey Rublev at the ATP Finals in Turin.

Both players knew they would be unable to progress from the tournament’s pool stage with Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev already reaching the semi-finals from the red group, but both would have likely wanted to end their 2023 campaign on a high note.

While Germany’s Zverev has the superior head-to-head record, triumphing in the first five of his encounters against Rublev, his Russian opponent had won all three prior meetings this season.

But it was the seventh seed who overcame the fifth seed on this occasion.

The first set was fairly even, despite Zverev securing an early break. Rublev recovered, and with the score at 4-4, it could have been anyone’s set.

But Rublev conceded a break in the ninth game and Zverev roared ahead, successfully serving for the set.

The second set was again neck-and-neck until the seventh game, when Zverev took the only break of the set. Rublev became visibly frustrated with his errors and was unable to get back into the encounter.

He saved two match points in the final game, but couldn’t prevent Zverev from winning with an ace on his third chance.

It was a positive result for Zverev, who will finish the season as the world No. 7. He won two matches at the ATP Finals but was trumped by Alcaraz and Medvedev on superior sets-won records.

The 26-year-old’s 2022 season was plagued by injury, and he struggled to get going at the start of this year. But Zverev’s form improved as his campaign went on, reaching the French Open semi-finals and clinching ATP titles at the Hamburg European Open and Chengdu Open.

“I have to look back on the week in a positive way,” Zverev said. “I beat Alcaraz and I beat Rublev.

“After the injury that I had, to be back here with the top eight players in the world, winning two matches, gives me great hope. I’m as motivated as I’ve ever been for next year.”

Rublev failed to win a match upon his return to Turin’s Pala Alpitour, having progressed to the semi-finals at last year’s tournament.

But the world No. 5 still enjoyed a successful season, winning his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Monte-Carlo. He also triumphed at the Swedish Open, and reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

The semi-final encounters which take place on Saturday comprise the top four in the world rankings.

Home favourite Jannik Sinner will come up against Medvedev, followed by a tantalising tie between world number one and two, Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz.