Zverev sees off Alcaraz; Medvedev beats Rublev
Alexander Zverev battled back from a set down to beat Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 [3/7], 6-3, 6-4 at the ATP Finals on Monday as Daniil Medvedev won a Russian derby against Andrey Rublev in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. Germany's Zverev, a two-time winner at the year-ending tournament, put on a powerful display to see off world number two Alcaraz who is not on top form after returning from injury at the end of last month. "In the beginning of this year, I was nowhere near at his level," Zverev told reporters. "I'm just happy to be back at the level where I'm competitive with those guys, where I feel like I can win, I feel like I can compete for tournaments again." Wimbledon champion Alcaraz has struggled with lower back and left foot problems which had kept him out of action since the Shanghai Masters in early October until the Paris Masters. He was dumped out early in the French capital by Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin and flagged towards the end of a bruising contest with giant Zverev, the number seven seed in Turin. However Alcaraz insisted that he was not struggling back to form after his lay-off. "I'm one of the players who has played most matches on tour... I feel good physically," insisted Alcaraz. Before Zverev's win Novak Djokovic was presented with the trophy for finishing the season as world number one. Djokovic is red-hot favourite to claim his seventh Finals title which would put him out on his own as the record winner, one ahead of retired great and old rival Roger Federer. Medvedev moved above Zverev – his next opponent – to top the Red Group with a straightforward win over his childhood friend Rublev who once again had the worst of a match between the two Russians. Third seed Medvedev, who has five titles to his name this season, has now won seven of his nine matches with Rublev and needed just one hour and 31 minutes to prevail. (AFP)