STARNBERG, February 6, 2021
Team Russia will take on Team Italy in the 2021 ATP Cup final on Sunday morning at Melbourne Park, with World No.4 Daniil Medvedev facing World No.10 Matteo Berrettini when the No.1 players go in to battle.
Russia defeated Germany in Saturday’s semis 2-1, as Andrey Rublev fought past Jan-Lennard Struff 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in one hour and 34 minutes and Medvedev outlasted Alexander Zverev in a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 battle under a closed roof on Rod Laver Arena, which lasted more than two and a half hours.
13 wins, and counting 💪
The moment @DaniilMedwed sent Russia to the #ATPCup Final. pic.twitter.com/I3o7xZnZ1p
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 6, 2021
“When it’s against Sascha and you are 6-3, 3-2 break down, many times you’re going to lose a match. But I needed to keep my chances alive for the team first of all, for the country. I just tried to stay there, got a bit tight maybe. I just did my job and I’m really happy about it,” Medvedev said.
“Tough matches [for] both of us. Both [Andrey and I] lost the first set. [It was] not easy, because we had two days off before the match… But happy we’re in the final. That’s the most important,” the reigning ATP Finals champion added.
Germany claimed its only point of the tie in the doubles rubber. Kevin Krawietz and Struff dodged a match tie break to beat Evgeny Donskoy and Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 7-6(2).
Italy defeats Spain
Menawhile on John Caine Arena, Italy defeated Spain 3-0. Berrettini sealed his country’s spot in the final with a 6-3, 7-5 victory against Roberto Bautista Agut, giving Italy an insurmountable 2-0 lead against Spain. Earlier in the day, Fabio Fognini edged past Pablo Carreno Busta 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Berrettini said in his on-court interview. “Last year I couldn’t make it, so I’m really happy that the first time that I played we are into the final. The job is not done yet, but we are really happy for what is happening.”
ITA-LIA
ITA-LIA
ITA-LIA🇮🇹 🎉 #ATPCup pic.twitter.com/KFECsRKLBC
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 6, 2021
