The ATP Finals are set to get underway in Turin on Sunday and we have a couple of mouth-watering clashes to get the ball rolling.

Sell-out crowds will watch the top names in men’s tennis battle it out for the prestigious ATP Finals title and here is our predictions for the first matches in the Ille Nastaste Group.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV vs TAYLOR FRITZ

Head-to-head: Medvedev leads 1-0

Previous meeting: 2022 Cincinatti Masters quarter-final – Medvedev won 7-6(1), 6-3

It is curious that two players who have been around the top ten of the game for some time have only met once before, with a meeting from over two years ago unlikeluy to have a bearing on this contest at the ATP Finals.

Medvedev is ranked at No 4 and one place ahead of Fritz for this event, but the American heads into this game with the better form in recent months.

Medvedev’s unconventional style is always a challenge to unpick, but Fritz has the firepower and confidence to hit through him on a court that should suit his brand of big-hitting tennis.

Fritz should take confidence from his run to the US Open final in September, his first appearance in a Grand Slam final and his appearance in Turin has been assured since then.

Now he will want to prove he is a player ready to mix it with the best and if he can take advantage of Medvedev’s deep returning position and still make his serve count, he should win this opening singles match at the 2024 ATP Finals.

“Daniil is obviously very awkward to play against because he slows down the speed of the match a lot with how he plays and how he hits the ball,” said Fritz.

“He doesn’t play with a lot of spin or lift for you to work off of. You constantly are feeling like you have to lift and generate pace. He slows down the court a lot.”

“If I want to be a top player, I feel like you have to be playing your best tennis at the biggest events, so that was a big positive,” said Fritz.

“I think what I did this year that was a big goal of mine was that I performed my best at the Slams. In previous years, I maybe had one good Slam result throughout the calendar year and then some not so good ones.”

Verdict: Fritz to win in staight sets.

More Tennis News

The 5 men with the most ATP Finals match wins: Roger Federer’s record safe for foreseeable future

Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz as Taylor Fritz shines – ATP Finals predictions

JANNIK SINNER vs ALEX DE MINAUR 

Head-to-head: Sinner leads 7-0

Previous meeting: 2024 ATP 500 in Rotterdam – Sinner won 7-5, 6-4

The past meetings between these two players suggest there should only be one winner as Sinner looks to make it eight wins in a row against his Aussie rival.

Sinner just does everything that much better than De Minaur, as he has a bigger serve and more potent ground shots that should allow him to overpower his opponent.

World No 1 Sinner has been in Turin for several days preparing for this event and appears to have recovered from the virus that ruled him out of the Paris Masters.

As for De Minaur, he has been battling injury worries since he was forced to pull out of Wimbledon in July and needed the withdrawal of Novak Djokovic to secure his place in the ATP Finals.

This feels like the perfect match for Sinner to get his campaign in Turin underway and he is relishing the battle with De Minaur.

“Alex is a bit different as a player. He is a very solid, very fast mover [with] a great mentality,” said Sinner.

“You have to win every point somehow. He is not going to give it to you, so you have to go for it. With the work ethic he has, he deserves to be in the position he is in.

“He won’t hold back, he will keep improving as a player, and it’s nice to see him here. The first time is always very special. You see something new, you feel less pressure because it’s the first time. So, let’s see what’s coming.

“I would have never imagined to win so many things this year. Many things have happened. Thinking back to how everything started in Australia.

“For me, it’s about always trying to improve as a player, as a person, as a human being. I’m even more proud and happy with how I am evolving. Hopefully next year it will also be this process of improvement.”

Verdict: Sinner to power to a straight sets win

READ NEXT: ATP Finals Draw Winners & Losers: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner avoid clash