Carlos Alcaraz loses to Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev wins

Carlos Alcaraz faced a challenging defeat during his debut at the ATP Finals as Alexander Zverev triumphed over him in Turin, Italy.

Wimbledon champion Alcaraz lost 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 6-4 to Zverev, who had previously won the event in 2018 and 2021.

It marks the first defeat of the 20-year-old Spaniard since March 2021, a time when he ranked outside the world’s top 100.

In the other Red Group singles match, third seed Daniil Medvedev secured a 6-4 6-2 win over Andrey Rublev in an all-Russian clash.

Meanwhile, Briton Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram emerged victorious with a 6-3 6-4 win over Australian Matthew Ebden and Rohan Bopanna of India in the doubles.

Britain’s Neal Skupski and Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof, in their final tournament together, opened their campaign with a 6-3 6-4 win over Australians Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata.

Alcaraz Struggles and Zverev Triumphs

World number two Alcaraz made his debut at the season-ending men’s event for the top eight players and suffered from inconsistency throughout the match.

Although he initially struggled against Zverev, he managed to clinch the opener, but Zverev turned the tide, responding instantly and ultimately triumphing over Alcaraz.

Zverev impressively saved five of six break points and hit 16 aces, secure in his victory with a powerful service winner.

Medvedev, on the other hand, halted his losing streak in Turin and was dominant against Rublev, seizing a 6-4 6-2 win in their encounter.

Rublev’s lost footing led to frustration, allowing Medvedev to secure an efficient and compelling win, positioning himself at the top of the group.

The ATP Finals include eight of the year’s best men’s players split into two groups of four, setting the stage for an exciting culmination of tennis excellence.

Additionally, Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, continues to showcase his prowess, securing the year-end number one status. He is set to face home hope Jannik Sinner while Rune takes on Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the upcoming singles match in the Green Group.