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Match details
Fixture: (6) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs (7) Andrey Rublev
Date: 17 November 2020
Tournament: Nitto ATP Finals 2020
Round: Round-robin stage
Venue: London, United Kingdom
Category: ATP Finals
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: $5,700,000
Match timing: 8 pm GMT, 1.30 AM IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel | India - Sony / Sony Liv
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Andrey Rublev preview
Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas takes on the in-form Andrey Rublev in his second match of the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals on Tuesday.
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Tsitsipas had won the title over Dominic Thiem in 2019, but he couldn't produce a repeat of that result in the tournament opener this year. The 22-year-old fell to Thiem 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 on Sunday, and he would be particularly annoyed at letting the first set slip through his grasp despite leading 5-3 in the tiebreaker.
Tsitsipas has not had a breakthrough in 2020 like many had expected him to after his win in London last year. But the Greek has managed to retain his place among the top 8 by winning the title in Marseille as well as reaching the finals in Dubai and Hamburg and the semifinals of the French Open and the Western & Southern Open. He would be hoping to redeem his season with another successful run in London, but he will likely have to win all his matches from here on for that.
Meanwhile, Andrey Rublev came into the ATP Finals as the most improved player of the 2020 season. The Russian has won five titles this season - including three at the ATP 500 level - to qualify for the season-ending event for the first time in his career. He has also performed well at the Majors, with a fourth round finish at the Australian Open, followed by back-to-back quarter-finals at the French Open and the US Open.
However, Rublev looked a little out of his depth in his opening match against Rafael Nadal on Sunday. The Russian couldn't manufacture a single break point on Nadal's serve as he lost 6-3, 6-4.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Andrey Rublev head-to-head
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev have met on four occasions before, with the head-to-head tied at 2-2. Tsitsipas won their first encounter at the semifinal stage of the 2018 Next Gen Finals, which was followed by Rublev winning their first round encounter at the 2019 US Open.
This year, the two players have met twice on clay. Rublev won the Hamburg Open final, but Tsitsipas exacted revenge by beating the Russian in the French Open quarterfinals.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Andrey Rublev prediction
This match will be a crucial one for both players given that they were beaten in their opening matches on Sunday.
There is not much to choose between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev when they are at their best. Both players have good serves, can tee off on their groundstrokes and can cover the court pretty well.
This is the Greek's second year among the elite of men's tennis, and he has proven over the course of his young career that he has the ability to beat anybody in the world - especially on indoor hardcourts. Rublev, by contrast, hasn't yet produced enough big results against the top players.
The match on Tuesday will come down to who can manage their nerves better, as a win will play a very important role in keeping their semifinal hopes alive. In that context, Tsitsipas' experience might just give him a slight edge.
Prediction: Stefanos Tsitsipas to win in three sets.
