Five Things That Matter On ATP Cup Day 4
Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner all feature on Day 4 at the ATP Cup in Group B and C action on Ken Rosewall Arena and Qudos Bank Arena.
Here are the five things that matter most ahead of Day 4 at the ATP Cup.
Semi-final Spots Up For Grabs
Australia and Russia are the only teams with a chance of winning Group B on Tuesday. If Australia defeats Russia on Qudos Bank Arena during the night session and Italy overcomes France during the day session then Australia advances to the semi-finals in Sydney. However, if Russia beats Australia and France defeats Italy, then Russia wins the group. In Group C, no team can clinch a semi-final spot by winning their second tie. Although, should United States defeat Germany and Great Britain beat Canada then Thursday’s United States versus Great Britain becomes the deciding tie.
Humbert’s Strong Start
Ugo Humbert recorded the biggest win of his career on Day 2 with a third-set tie-break win over World No. 2 Medvedev. On his ATP Cup debut for France, it was his sixth Top 10 win in 10 matches. Today, the World No. 35 challenges No. 7-ranked Berrettini, who is seeking to bounce back from a 6-3, 7-6(4) loss to Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Sunday. At the 2020 US Open, Berrettini beat Humbert 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(6), so expect a battle on Ken Rosewall Arena during the night session. World No. 10 Sinner looks for his second singles win for Italy against Arthur Rinderknech to begin the Group B tie.
Russia’s New ‘Secret Weapon’?
Last year, Medvedev said that World No. 112 Aslan Karatsev was Russia’s “secret weapon” en route to the ATP Cup crown. It proved correct as a few weeks later, Karatsev made his major breakthrough by reaching the Australian Open semi-finals. This time around Team Russia may have unearthed another diamond, Roman Safiullin, in its quest to retain the trophy. The World No. 167 wore one of Medvedev’s shirts in his 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over France’s Rinderknech on Sunday, and also in the doubles victory with Medvedev. Safiullin begins Group B play against Australia’s James Duckworth on Qudos Bank Arena, before Medvedev looks to extend his 3-0 ATP Head2Head record against De Minaur.
Zverev Looks To Inspire Germany
Zverev has been in sparking form since the start of the Tokyo Olympics in late July 2021, compiling a 37-4 match record that includes victory over Great Britain’s Norrie at the ATP Cup on Sunday. Not only has the German won the Olympics gold medal (d. Khachanov), but also titles at the Western & Southern Open (d. Rublev), the Erste Bank Open in Vienna (d. Tiafoe) and the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin (d. Medvedev). Today, the World No. 3 faces the United States’ Taylor Fritz, who comes into their sixth meeting straight of his victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime. Fritz raises his game against the very best and beat Zverev 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in October. But first, Jan-Lennard Struff must break a four-match losing streak against American John Isner in the No. 2 singles match of the Group C tie.
Great Britain’s Broady Factor
Can Liam Broady work his magic again? In Great Britain’s win over Germany on Day 2, there was plenty of banter and Daniel Evans ribbed the captain for his lack of encouragement at a changeover. Today, it’s Canada’s Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov in Group C on Ken Rosewall Arena. Norrie came up short against Zverev in his first No. 1 singles match, but he can make amends against Canada’s captain Auger-Aliassime, who sits one spot higher than him at No. 12 in the ATP Rankings. Auger-Aliassime has won their two previous encounters at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and last year, saving three match points in a 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 win at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. Shapovalov begins proceedings during the night session tie against Evans. They are tied 1-1 in their ATP Head2Head series.