(2) Alcaraz vs Djokovic (1) (4) Sinner vs Medvedev (3) The four BEST players in the world face off in a pair of STACKED #NittoATPFinals Semi-Finals 🍿
PREVIEW | 2023 ATP Finals: DJOKOVIC v ALCARAZ and SINNER v MEDVEDEV set for blockbuster SEMI-FINAL line-up in Turin
ATPSaturday, 18 November 2023 at 11:35
The ATP Finals semi-finals are upon us on Saturday and the line-up is now confirmed with one clash standing out in particular in our preview ahead of the action starting as Carlos Alcaraz will again duel with Novak Djokovic in Turin.
The other tie at the ATP Finals sees Jannik Sinner face Daniil Medvedev in a final seen a lot recently and one that the former has been getting the better of despite his prior poor record against the Russian. But Sinner goes into the latter stages perhaps as the favourite.
Djokovic v Alcaraz top match on offer as top two set to excite once more
Firstly to the main clash which is kind of thanks to Jannik Sinner. It was the Italian perhaps who gave the rest of the field a groan as Holger Rune could not defeat him and he went for the win.
This in turn allowed Novak Djokovic to squeeze through to the semi-finals alongside Sinner as they could yet meet in the final once more and what would be the irony if Djokovic then defeats him to win the title after having the chance to dump him out early on.
Alcaraz on the other hand saw his path sealed on Friday afternoon as he defeated Daniil Medvedev to claim his spot after a rocky start to the tournament. He also did it in straight sets meaning a nervous wait for the clash between Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev was not needed and thus became a dead rubber.
This after Alcaraz lost to Alexander Zverev in the first tie and after his recent form, fans would've been fearing the worst. But he recovered to show fighting spirit and grit and defeat Rublev and Medvedev back-to-back.
Djokovic took down Holger Rune before losing to Sinner and then beating Hubert Hurkacz who himself was a late replacement as Stefanos Tsitsipas could not continue in Turin.
Head to Head wise, it sits at 2-2 between the pair. Alcaraz won the first meeting and also Wimbledon this year. But pivotely, Djokovic has also won the two where Alcaraz has been on top or hampered in Roland Garros this year and Cincinnati where the Spaniard almost threw it away.
As ever Djokovic is the master at tennis craft and keeping the foot on the accelerator even when it looks like he's running out of road. But will he run out in Turin or will Alcaraz fall to the great Serbian chasing another record?
Prediction: Djokovic in two sets
A common theme as Medvedev and Sinner to collide again
Daniil Medvedev's tournament hit its first stumbling block on Friday as he lost out to Carlos Alcaraz, but barring that, he has been perhaps alongside his next opponent, the man in form.
But that opponent is one that seems to have his number recently and will look to employ the same tactics to improve his Head to Head record on Saturday.
That being a certain Jannik Sinner. Currently 6-2 leading for Medvedev, Sinner though has won the last two both in finals to turn the tables after an abysmal 6-0 run.
Sinner finally defeated Medvedev in Beijing in the final and had many questioning: was it a fluke? But he backed it up mere weeks later on the indoor hard courts of Vienna as he took that title too.
This after a run of two final wins for Medvedev over him in Miami and Rotterdam both this year as well as four prior wins including in Turin at the 2021 ATP Finals. He will also joust with the crowd so Medvedev will be up against it, but injury could yet derail Sinner. So a lot of factors in both ties to consider and a grand final to be set.
Prediction: Sinner in three sets
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