The top 8 players who are ranked the best in the world are only eligible to play the prestigious ATP Finals tournament. An event that takes place in the round robin format to determine the best player among the top 8. Like previous years, the tournament was taking place in O2 arena, London but it was for the final time. From the year 2020, the tournament will be taking place in Turin, Italy.
This year the groups were named as Tokyo 1970, the year when the first edition of the tournament was played, and London 2020, the year that marked the completion of 50 years of the tournament.
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Dominic Thiem were all favorites to win the title. Stefanos Tsitsipas was the defending champion. Diego Schwartzman and Andrey Rublev were making their first appearances in the tournament.
The final was played between the last year’s finalist, Dominic Thiem and a first-time finalist, Daniil Medvedev. The Russian won the title beating Thiem in three sets.
Novak Djokovic ended the year as the world number one player and Mate Pavic and Bruno Soares finished as the number one doubles team.
Round Robin Stage
The players were divided into two groups, Tokyo 1970 and London 2020.
Group Tokyo 1970
- Novak Djokovic
- Daniil Medvedev
- Alexander Zverev
- Diego Schwartzman
Group London 2020
- Rafael Nadal
- Dominc Thiem
- Stefanos Tsitsipas
- Andrey Rublev
Tokyo 2020
Daniil Medvedev remained unbeaten throughout the round robin stage. Diego Schwartzman was failed to win a match in his debut appearance. With one win and one loss, it was all set for a-place-in-semifinal showdown between Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev. Djokovic won the match in straight sets.
London 2020
Dominic Thiem topped the group with two wins and one loss, losing one match to the debutant Andrey Rublev. With one win and one loss, it was all set for a-place-in-semifinal showdown between Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Nadal won the match in three sets.
Semifinals
The semifinals line-up was set; Daniil Medvedev vs Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem vs Novak Djokovic.
Semifinal 1 – Dominic Thiem vs Novak Djokovic
It was second straight semifinal for Dominic Thiem, who was the winner of this year’s US Open. Novak Djokovic has had numerous thrilling encounters in the O2 arena, another was lined up with Thiem. Djokovic was also looking for the record-sixth title at the final tournament of the tour.
The match started brilliantly with both the players started strongly. It was Dominic Thiem who drew the first blood and took the opening set 7-5. Djokovic knew he had to come back strong and he did. Taking the match deep into the tiebreak, the Serbian saved four match points and then finally took the second set in the tiebreak with 12 points to 10.
The final set was als a roller coaster one. Again, the set went to the tiebreak and despite leading the tiebreak 4-1, Djokovic fell short and lost the tiebreak 7 points to 5. Dominic Thiem qualified for the second straight final.
Semifinal 2 – Daniil Medvedev vs Rafael Nadal
The second semifinal was between Daniil Medvedev, a first-timer finalist at the tournament, and Rafael Nadal, a two-time losing finalist in 2010 and 2013. Nadal was looking to win his first ATP Finals title and it is one of the few titles that is missing from his trophy cabinet.
The Spaniard started the match with dominance. Breaking Medvedev’s serve, Nadal took the opener 6-3. Again leading the second set by a break but Nadal lost his dominance and grip. Breaking back, the Russian took the second set to the tiebreak and eventually took the second set tiebreak with 7 points to 4.
The decider was pretty much straight forward for the world number four as he beat Nadal for the first time in his career and also qualified for the ATP Finals final in only his second attempt.
Final – Dominic Thiem vs Daniil Medvedev
Well it was not on the cards but we were all set for a blockbuster final, Dominic Thiem vs Daniil Medvedev. With no Djokovic, Nadal in the final, it is a bit of shock but as it went we were all set for a first-time winner at the ATP Finals. Dominic Thiem had beaten Rafael Nadal in the round robin and Novak Djokovic in the semifinal. Daniil Medvedev had beaten Novak Djokovic in the round robin and Rafael Nadal in the semifinal. So, that is a bit of unique stat that two players have beaten Djokovic and Nadal in the same tournament.
Dominic Thiem lost the last year’s final to the debutant, Stefanos Tsitsipas. He started strongly winning the opening set 6-4. Medvedev was up for the challenge. Taking the second set to the tiebreak and eventually winning it with 7 points to 2.
In the winner-takes-it-all set, Daniil Medvedev won the set 6-4 and won the ATP Finals 2020.
Daniil Medvedev had a great season ending with winning back to back titles; Paris Masters and ATP Finals. It was his second title of the year. With his win, Medvedev only became the fourth player in the history of the game to beat top 3 players en route to a tournament title and the first one since 2007.
Doubles
Mate Pavic / Bruno Soares and Rajeev Ram / Joe Salisbury were the top two seeds in the doubles category but both failed to qualify for the final. Rather it was the pair who went to the finals of US Open this year, were emerged as winners, Wesley Koolhof / Nikola Metkic. Their victory was the first title together as a team.
Results
The results of the ATP Finals 2020 were;
Singles – Daniil Medvedev beat Dominic Thiem 4-6, 7-6, 6-4
Doubles – Wesley Koolhof / Nikola Metkic beat Jurgen Melzer / Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2, 3-6, 10-5
World number one (Singles) – Novak Djokovic
World Number one (Doubles) – Mate Pavic / Bruno Soares