Rublev battles back to down Medvedev in ATP Finals opener

Andrey Rublev squandered seven set points early in his meeting with fellow Russian Daniil Medvedev before roaring back to seal a 6-7(7) 6-3 7-6(7) opening victory at the ATP Finals in Turin on Monday.

Rublev said his sixth career meeting with Medvedev reminded him of his encounter with the world number five at the 2020 U.S. Open quarterfinals, where he lost in straight sets, and the 25-year-old was determined to overcome his poor start.

But having shaken off the disappointment of squandering several chances to take the opening set, Rublev hit back with 25 winners in the next two and held his nerve in the deciding tie-break to seal the victory on his fifth match point.

"I was thinking about the US Open, because when we played in the quarterfinals in 2020, I think I was 5-1 in a tie-break, also something like 6-2, but I was leading something similar in a tie-break," Rublev said.

"But when I lost that set, I couldn't play anymore, and I was thinking it can't happen (again) I have to change something. I have to keep playing, because if I win one set, even if I lose in three sets, it's still good, because here you have a group.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic face off in the other Red Group match later on Monday.