2024 Nitto ATP Finals Preview and Evaluation
With Jannik Sinner, One Group Emerges as Considerably Extra Tough
For the primary time in 23 years, the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals preview options no members of the Large 3. Defending and 7-time champion Novak Djokovic opted to take a seat this event out.
What a chance.
Many followers underestimate essentially the most essential component of this event: Money. Within the distinctive sport that professional tennis is— the place every participant is their very own CEO– nothing beats cash to make life simpler. Typically prize cash results in extra prize cash.
The winner of this 2024 ATP Finals units himself up for dominance in 2025. The ATP Finals preview reveals a complete award of $15.25 million. If one participant wins all his matches, he would take house a record-breaking $4.8 million in prize cash. That pays for facilities like touring physios and journeys on personal jets. It’s a extra comfy option to dwell when managing the brutal calls for of the ATP schedule.
Now to the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals preview and evaluation.
Ilie Nastase Group
[1] Jannik Sinner
[4] Daniil Medvedev
[5] Taylor Fritz
[7] Alex de Minaur
John Newcombe Group
[2] Alexander Zverev
[3] Carlos Alcaraz
[6] Casper Ruud
[8] Andrey Rublev
The format for the 2024 ATP Finals: Teams play a spherical robin, with the highest 2 advancing, adopted by semifinals and a remaining match on Sunday November 17.
Zverev Group
One among these teams shouldn’t be like the opposite: It’s a lot simpler. The Newcombe Group options Casper Ruud, not a terrific exhausting courter, and Andrey Rublev, who has struggled along with his psychological recreation and courtroom composure in 2024. As well as, regardless of having maybe the very best fingers in tennis, Alcaraz has complained not too long ago about quick indoor courtroom speeds.
Lastly, Zverev who has struggled with a lung difficulty this fall, has simply accomplished a protracted, profitable run on the Paris indoors. Fatigue might be a problem.
Zverev vs Alcaraz is a tantalizing match that includes a distinction in kinds. The Zverev Alcaraz H2H is tied at 5, however the German owns the indoor sequence 2-0. Exhausting as it’s to consider, Alcaraz has solely performed one ATP Finals– final 12 months the place he went 2-2, shedding to Zverev and Djokovic. The German’s serve holds up effectively in these circumstances. As a result of this won’t be the Spaniard’s first match performed right here in Turin (Alcaraz opens with Ruud), Carlitos can have time to regulate to circumstances. Robust name, however as a result of fatigue issue, I’ll go together with Alcaraz in 3 units, at the very least one among which is able to finish in a breaker.
Zverev vs Ruud. Alex leads the H2H 2-3. The match hinges on Zverev rallying to Ruud’s backhand and crushing his personal. Casper could be sensible to rally to the Zverev forehand, but it surely’s very robust to alter route on quick indoor courts. Plus the dominant first serve favors Alex. Zverev in 2.
The Zverev vs Rublev match will probably be a battle of endurance for each gamers. I like Alex right here as a result of he’s been steadily bettering within the entrance courtroom whereas Andrey has not. Rublev’s flat, skidding ball is all the time a problem on any type of floor, significantly for a tall participant. However Zverev is extra mentally match in the mean time, plus he possesses the H2H 6-3. I like Zverev in 2.
Alcaraz vs Ruud is a perfect option to heat up for Carlos. Ruud has by no means crushed him in 4 tries– and whereas they haven’t met indoors– that’s lower than perfect for Casper. If Carlos has a subpar serving day, he can all the time assault the Ruud backhand wing, the identical as he would for a one-hander. Casper’s excessive spin charge on the backhand aspect will solely do Alcaraz a favor by sitting up extra in his strike zone. Alcaraz in 2.
The Alcaraz vs Rublev H2H (1-1) is hilarious. Andrey beat Carlos on clay, and Carlos beat Andrey on indoor exhausting. It’s the other of what you’d assume. Since Rublev misplaced right here to Alcaraz final 12 months, I doubt 2024 has given Andrey a lot readability on this entrance. However his power would possibly nonetheless yield him a set. Alcaraz in 3.
The Ruud vs Rublev H2H favors the Russian 5-2. Regardless of having a profession indoor win share of solely 57%, Ruud has crushed Rublev twice on the ATP Finals. My solely idea is that Rublev grinds himself to a pulp through the season, whereas Ruud takes time without work. Lack of load administration catches up with the ginger on the finish of the season. It might shock me if Rublev let Casper beat him in Turin 3 years working, although. Rublev in 3.
ATP Finals Preview: Jannik Sinner Group
World primary and 2-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner opens with Alex de Minaur, essentially the most favorable of matchups for the Italian. Sinner owns the H2H 7-0, together with their final 2 conferences indoors. Sinner’s type of play is a nightmare for Alex, so let’s not overthink. Sinner in 2.
Though the Sinner vs Medvedev H2H is tied at 7, their sequence has basically been one-way visitors. They met in Shanghai a couple of weeks in the past, and it wasn’t fairly for Meddy. The Russian likes a slower exhausting courtroom and has struggled along with his serve in 2024. Sinner in 2.
Sinner vs Fritz, a rematch of this 12 months’s US Open remaining, confirmed that expert returning is the important thing to this battle. Fritz will serve large, however Sinner’s capacity to neutralize makes any nice server really feel irritated. The wheels come off when these free factors will not be accessible. All that sparring with Djokovic alongside the French Riviera is clearly paying dividends. Sinner in 3.
Medvedev vs Fritz: Meddy has the H2H 1-0. How can it’s that these two lanky superstars– mainstays of the ATP Tour– have solely met as soon as? And all the way in which again in 2022, no much less. I feel Medvedev goes to discover a a lot improved Fritz from a match-fitness standpoint. He’s bodily extra imposing, has labored to tame his errors and is cooler underneath stress than he was in 2022. Since they each like video video games, possibly work one thing out on Twitch after the match? Fritz in 3.
A compelling 2024 Nitto ATP Finals preview match options Medvedev vs de Minaur. The general sequence is 3-6, but it surely’s 2-2 during the last 2 years. I name this the “large steps vs small steps” match. If Demon is match and wholesome, I feel he makes a drained Meddy run and brings him ahead, the place he’s uncomfortable. That mentioned, de Minaur has been battling a hip harm. It is likely to be shut. Medvedev in 3.
Fritz vs de Minaur. Alex leads the H2H 5-3, and he’s simply the type of participant to frustrate Taylor. Their splits by floor reveal benefits for the shorter, sooner Aussie on quick courts. This is likely to be one of many extra visually interesting matches of the event. I see a good quantity of exchanges of breaks attributable to Demon’s return prowess– in addition to his comparatively gradual serve. I see tiebreakers in my crystal ball. Fritz in 3.
My 2024 Nitto ATP Finals Preview Gamers to Watch:
SF: Sinner, Fritz, Alcaraz, Zverev
F: Sinner def. Alcaraz
