The ATP Finals is one of the most anticipated events of the tennis calendar, where the best of the best come together to compete for the prestigious title and ranking points. Hosted at the Pala Alpitour in Turin, Italy, the tournament features an indoor hardcourt venue renowned for its speed and high number of tiebreakers.
This year’s lineup for both singles and doubles is a long way to being decided, with over eight more months of hotly contested tournaments still to go before we know who will be taking part, but Tennis Odds are already pointing to a few favorites. Novak Djokovic is a popular choice as ever, given his impressive record at the ATP Masters 1000 level, but other players such as Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev are also being touted as potential winners.
In a bid to predict what could happen in this year’s tournament, below is our review of how the 2022 tournament unfolded, broken down day by day for a total of five days of the world’s best tennis players going head-to-head.
Day 1
The opening day of the ATP Finals was a thrilling affair with two exciting matches. In the first match, Casper Ruud took on Felix Auger-Aliassime, with both players looking to make a strong start to their campaign.
While Ruud had a slight edge in their head-to-head record, Auger-Aliassime’s current form made him the favorite. With his powerful first-strike forehand, Ruud was able to take advantage of Auger-Aliassime’s standard play style and secure a comfortable victory.
In the second match, Rafael Nadal took on Taylor Fritz. Nadal hasn’t had the best of times at the ATP Finals, and his recent health struggles and lack of match sharpness played into Fritz’s hands.
Nadal might have been the favorite, but Fritz’s powerful game and ability to play well on this surface gave him the edge in a tightly contested match, with Fritz winning in straight sets.
Day 2
The first match of Day 2 saw two Russian players, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, take on each other. Medvedev was the favorite to win, but Rublev had had a better season and put up a tremendous fight, beating Medvedev over three sets, two of which were tie-breakers.
The headliner of the day was the match between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Djokovic was aiming to match Federer’s record of six titles at the season-ending finale, while Tsitsipas was looking to get a win over the five-time champion after coming close in Paris.
The odds pointed to Djokovic coming out on top, and this time around the odds were correct, as Djokovic beat Tsitsipas in straight sets.
Overall, it was a thrilling second day of tennis at the ATP Finals, with some of the best players in the world battling it out.
Day 3
The ATP Finals were in full swing on Day 3, with two highly anticipated matches on the schedule. The first match saw Taylor Fritz take on Casper Ruud, with both players looking to secure a victory in their first-ever meeting.
Despite many assuming Fritz has the better serve, it was Ruud who emerged the victor, surprising everyone with his world-class first serve.
The night match was a clash between Rafael Nadal and Felix Auger-Aliassime, with the latter looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Ruud in his previous match. Auger-Aliassime was considered the favorite going into the match, and rightly so, as he went on to beat Nadal in straight sets.
Day 4
Day 4 of the ATP Finals saw heightened excitement and anticipation around who would secure their place in the semifinals. Novak Djokovic, a five-time champion, had the opportunity to secure his place with a win over Andrey Rublev, and he breezed through in straight sets. Meanwhile, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev faced off in the evening’s prime-time match.
Despite his inconsistent form this season, Medvedev remained a force to be reckoned with. However, his backhand proved to be his undoing in his match against Tsitsipas. The latter has strong offensive abilities that saw him emerge as the eventual winner over three sets.
In the second match, Djokovic’s pursuit for a record-equalling sixth title remained on track. Rublev, who was playing well and feeling confident, certainly posed a challenge for Djokovic. However, the Russian’s tendency to squander leads proved to be his downfall, which resulted in a victory in three sets for the Serbian.
The final
The stage was set for an epic showdown between the two titans of men’s tennis, Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud at the ATP Finals in Turin.
In the end, in what is just the beginning of what could be an epic rivalry, Djokovic proved to be far too strong for the young challenger and won in two sets, but Ruud will undoubtedly be back, hungry for revenge.
Understanding the key players of the game can assist in tennis odds and sports wagering.
