The World No. 1 accounted for Medvedev in the final of the Paris Masters, coming from a set down to beat the Russian in three sets and exact revenge for his US Open final loss.
Djokovic is a five-time champion at the ATP Finals but has not lifted the title since 2015. In fact, the Serb has made the summit clash just twice since then (2016 and 2018), while Medvedev comes into the tournament as the defending champion.
Bertolucci, a former Davis Cup winner, feels Djokovic is the man to beat given his pedigree on faster surfaces. However, he cautioned that the Serb could slip up due to the fact that matches at the ATP Finals will be best-of-three.
According to the 70-year-old, Medvedev is likely to be Djokovic’s biggest threat at the event.
Former World No. 7 Corrado Barazzutti also gave his thoughts on Djokovic’s prospects at the ATP Finals. Speaking to Sportface, Barazzutti said the Serb would have been the “big favorite” in Turin regardless of his title in Paris-Bercy.
The 68-year-old, however, feels Djokovic’s triumph over Medvedev at the Paris Masters would have helped him regain the confidence he might have lost after the US Open final.
The former Roland Garros semifinalist pointed out that Djokovic will enter the ATP Finals well-rested, as he gave himself an extended break following the US Open.
According to Barazzutti, Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini will be the toughest opponents for Djokovic in Turin.
“Federer and Nadal’s absence is unfortunate, but it is normal, let’s enjoy Novak Djokovic again” - Paolo Bertolucci
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will miss the ATP Finals this year as they continue to recover from their respective injuries. This will mark only the second occasion in which both Federer and Nadal do not feature at the year-ending championships (2016 was the first time).
When asked to comment on their absence, Paolo Bertolucci lamented the fact that the pair’s physical problems have curtailed their playing time in recent months.
The Italian pointed out that past champions such as Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, and Pete Sampras also gradually reduced their playing time as they grew older. As such, he believes fans should enjoy the time Novak Djokovic has left on tour.
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