The standout surprise of the opening day at the 2024 ATP Finals in Torino was undoubtedly Carlos Alcaraz's resounding loss to Casper Ruud. The Spanish world No. 3 was defeated in straight sets by the Norwegian, 6-1, 7-5, in the "John Newcombe" group.
For Jannik Sinner's top rival, the path to the semifinals is still open, but the unexpected loss has made the journey significantly harder. Alcaraz, one of the favorites for the title alongside Sinner, now faces the must-win challenge of overcoming Russia's Andrey Rublev and Germany's Alexander Zverev in his remaining group matches.
It was a match to forget for Alcaraz, who surrendered in just under 90 minutes. The Spaniard failed to show his best form, appearing inconsistent and sluggish throughout the encounter. Plagued by unforced errors—34 in total—he struggled on the indoor hard court. Ruud cruised through the first set with ease. In the second set, Alcaraz led 5-2, but his momentum collapsed as he lost five consecutive games, giving Ruud his first career victory on hard court against a top-3 player.
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Meanwhile, Germany's Zverev celebrated a solid win over Rublev, defeating him in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Currently ranked world No. 2, Zverev delivered a clean and consistent performance, capitalizing on his opponent's errors in both sets. This marked Zverev's sixth consecutive tour-level win following his triumph at the Paris-Bercy tournament. Additionally, Zverev is in a direct battle with Alcaraz to retain his No. 2 ranking behind Sinner. After the opening day and Alcaraz's unexpected defeat, Zverev has widened his lead (+705 points).
Today, the "Nastase" group kicks off its second matchday, beginning at 2:00 PM with a showdown between Russia's Daniil Medvedev and Australia's Alex de Minaur. De Minaur previously lost in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to Sinner in the opening match. The Italian world No. 1 delivered a convincing performance, while Medvedev fell to Taylor Fritz in his debut, 6-4, 6-3.
At 8:30 PM, Sinner will face Fritz in a crucial match. For the South Tyrolean, securing a spot in the semifinals may require winning all three group matches. Automatic qualification would only be assured with a victory over Fritz coupled with a Medvedev loss to de Minaur. If Medvedev defeats the Australian, Sinner's semifinal hopes would depend on the outcome of his third match against Medvedev, scheduled for Thursday, November 14.
One thing is certain—there's plenty of excitement ahead.
