2021 Western & Southern Open Men's Final – Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev taking place? Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev will take place at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Ohio, USA
When is Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev on and what time does it start? Sunday 22nd August, 2021 – not before 21:30 (UK)
What surface is Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev being played on? Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev
What channel is Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev on? Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev will be televised on the Amazon Prime Video app on smart TVs
Where can I stream Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream Andrey Rublev vs Alexander Zverev live via their platform. Subscribers of Tennis TV can also stream the match live
THE PREDICTION
Take a bow, Andrey Rublev. The world number seven came back from a set down to Cincinnati Open champion-elect Daniil Medvedev to win in three incredible sets of full-throttle tennis on Saturday in his first victory over his friend and compatriot at the fifth time of asking. The 23-year-old has often been tarred with the “flat-track bully” brush as a player who dominates proceedings with those ranked below him but can sometimes struggle against the very top of the game. In beating world number two Medvedev at an ATP 1000 event, the elder Russian’s strongest arena, Rublev has quashed that theory but he will need to repeat the feat next against Alexander Zverev. World number five Zverev also required three sets to oust his fast-becoming main tour rival Stefanos Tsitsipas on Saturday. The 24-year-old is a man in serious form after winning a shock Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games earlier this month and the fast conditions in Cincinnati suit his power game down to a T. Zverev’s performances this week are making him look more and more the dark horse for the US Open title in three weeks’ time, where he will be aiming to put right last season's capitulation in the final.
Before yesterday’s statement victory, Rublev had lost to Daniil Medvedev on all four previous occasions without taking a set and it is the exact same story here. Alexander Zverev has beaten Rublev four times without dropping a set at the 2016 Monte-Carlo Masters and the 2017 Beijing Open before Rublev was the player he is today but also more recently at the 2019 Shanghai Masters and last season’s Australian Open. That record is enough to take the easy way out with this match, so take Zverev to win at least a set here as the likeliest of two very capable winners. Rublev has lost his last two finals this season, at the Halle Open and Monte-Carlo Masters, though there is the rumbling sense of an upset in this must-watch match.
