ATP Cup 2021: For Zverev and Medvedev more a curse than a blessing?
Due to COVID-19, the ATP Cup 2021 will take place in a very special format this year. Although the athletes at the top of the world collect valuable match practice at a high level, how high is their price given the Australian Open starting on Monday?
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Feb 05, 2021, 01:47 pm
How much tennis is okay a week before a Grand Slam? It's a polarizing question, while some, especially older players, prefer to prepare for a major away from the tournament, others like to warm up in competition mode for the upcoming two Grand Slam weeks.
A man who has done the latter more consistently than anyone else on the tour is Andrey Rublev. The young Russian played almost the entire season (with the exception of the COVID-related interruption of the tour) without breaks, won about two ATP 250 tournaments before the Australian Open 2020, or played the final at Hamburg's Rothenbaum on the Sunday before the French Open .
The Russian is still right in the middle of the action at the ATP Cup that is currently taking place and has a good chance of serving one last time in the team competition on Sunday in the final. At the center of the big problem that this year is associated with the tournament format launched last year, there are two other men: Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev.
Zverev with marathon performance against Serbia
In view of their appearances at the end of the 2020 season and also the performances that the two youngsters brought to the field in the last majors, the two players may well see chances for a long journey at the Australian Open. The crux of the matter: The two of them will have played a lot of tennis at a very high level before the first round of the Grand Slam starts.
There would be Sascha Zverev, who had a hard time in the first match of the ATP Cup with a strong Denis Shapovalov, last lost to world number one Novak Djokovic on Friday morning and a few moments later was also on the pitch for a double. It was easier for Medvedev, who did not lose a set against Diego Schwartzman and Kei Nishikori, but who expected a tough opponent in the night from Friday to Saturday with Zverev.
Berrettini with strong performances in the group
The mode of only playing against the "ones" of the rival nations is in this context an additional burden for the absolute top stars of the world rankings. This also meets Matteo Berrettini, who, given his appearances against Dominic Thiem and Gael Monfils, could be an insider tip for a far advance at the Australian Open.
As is the case with these questions, however, it cannot be said without a doubt whether the great burden before the tournament will really have a negative impact on Zverev or Medvedev - and probably also Berretttini. The form fits all three, the self-confidence and the feeling for the conditions in Down Under should also be extremely pronounced whether the game practice. So the only question that arises is whether the body also participates in the frequent players of the ATP Cup.