Nitto ATP Finals tennis pick and prediction: Tsitsipas vs. Rune

The Nitto ATP Finals second round of group play kicks off in Turin with a blockbuster matchup as Stefanos Tsitsipas takes on the brash Dane Holger Rune.

Holger Rune’s electrifying performance in his first round-robin match against world No. 1 Novak Djokovic impressed the fans in Turin. Despite falling short, it was a thrilling three-set match with a pair of tiebreakers.

Rune, who is working with former Djokovic coach Boris Becker, commented, “I think physically I felt okay. Of course, I feel it. We played [for] three hours. But I’m sure he also felt it a little bit.”

Rune’s Tuesday opponent is Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is in his fifth consecutive Nitto ATP Finals appearance. Tsitsipas claimed the title in his debut in 2019 but hasn’t replicated that success. With just one title (Los Cabos) this year and an early exit at the U.S. Open, Tsitsipas aims to return to form. In his first group match, he lost in straight sets to home crowd favorite Jannik Sinner.

Rune holds a 2-0 head-to-head edge over Tsitsipas, having faced off twice last year, once in the indoor courts of Stockholm. Both players are formidable indoors, with Rune’s title run at the Paris Masters last year standing out. Tsitsipas, too, reached the Paris semifinals. With Rune potentially fatigued from his match against Djokovic, the outcome of this match is unpredictable.

Cheryl pick: Rune in 3

Ricky pick: Tsitsipas in 3