ATP Finals Turin Day 1 Preview & Schedule: Medvedev & Fritz clash in a vital opener, Sinner ready for dominant start

The ATP Finals finally kick off with Jannik Sinner headlining the opening day. The World No. 1 will make his debut against Alex De Minaur in the Ilie Nastase Group. Earlier, Taylor Fritz and Daniil Medvedev will face each other in a crucial battle as they look to advance from the Round Robin stage.

The tournament begins on Sunday, November 10, and runs through Sunday, November 17, with up to 1,500 points available for the undefeated champion and a prize of up to $4.8 million.

This match is crucial for both players' hopes of advancing from the Round Robin stage, given the strong favoritism of Jannik Sinner. Both players are seen as having better chances than De Minaur to make it to the next round, though in the Finals, nothing is guaranteed—surprises have happened before.

The Russian won the title in 2020 and undoubtedly has more experience, marking his sixth consecutive appearance, while this is only Fritz’s second. However, Medvedev is coming off a shaky performance after an early exit in the Paris Masters at the hands of Alexei Popyrin. Even so, the consistency of the former World No. 1 cannot be doubted, and in a familiar setting, he could regain his form.

Across the net, Fritz, with two titles this season and a run to the US Open final, appears ready to keep advancing in his career. The ATP Finals give him a bit of leeway, but with Sinner ahead, winning against Medvedev seems imperative. They’ve only faced each other once, at the 2022 Cincinnati Open, but circumstances are now very different—especially for the American.

The World No. 1 is the heavy favorite for the title and will debut against Alex De Minaur, likely the most favorable matchup he could have, given his overwhelming 7-0 head-to-head record, including four finals between 2019 and 2024.

Sinner has had an outstanding season, with a 65-6 record (three of those losses to Carlos Alcaraz), making him the clear favorite against the Australian. De Minaur earned his first ATP Finals qualification, especially through a strong end to the season following an injury that kept him out of several tournaments. However, he benefited from Novak Djokovic's withdrawal and entered as the 7th seed in the draw.

The 25-year-old Australian has little to lose, showing significant progress last season, particularly on hard courts. Recently, he reached the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters (falling to Holger Rune) and claimed a notable win over an in-form Jack Draper after a big comeback.