ATP Finals: Sometimes They Come Back—The Veteran Launches His Bid to Succeed Jannik Sinner
Daniil Medvedev will return to the ATP Finals two years after his last appearance, and he’ll do so with the intention of playing a leading role. The Russian tennis player secured his spot at the prestigious event in Turin thanks to his victory over Adrian Mannarino in the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 in Vienna, thereby qualifying for the Masters tournament for the seventh time in his career.
For Medvedev, this is a particularly significant return: after six consecutive appearances between 2019 and 2024, the Russian had in fact been excluded from the 2025 edition due to his ranking. Now he will have the opportunity to return to the Inalpi Arena and emerge as one of the top contenders for the title left vacant by Jannik Sinner.
The Italian had, in fact, comfortably secured his spot in the Finals but will not be able to defend his title due to an injury that forced him to end his season early. This situation opens up interesting possibilities ahead of the hard-court tournament at the Turin arena and inevitably raises the ambitions of the other qualifiers.
Among them is Medvedev, who has regained consistency and results in 2026. The Moscow native has surpassed 50 wins this season for the first time since 2023 and has already claimed four titles, triumphing in Brisbane, Dubai, Hangzhou, and Almaty. This performance attests to the former world No. 1’s renewed competitiveness.
His experience at the Finals could also prove to be a decisive factor. Medvedev has already won the tournament in 2020, while in 2021 he reached the final, losing only to Alexander Zverev. In any case, there will be no shortage of competition. In addition to Medvedev, Zverev himself has already qualified, as have Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton, while the remaining spots (with Cobolli’s participation in serious doubt due to the injury he suffered in Vienna) will be awarded in the coming weeks as the Race to Turin concludes.
After spending 2025 away from the spotlight of the Finals, Medvedev arrives in Turin with renewed ambitions. Jannik Sinner’s absence will deprive the tournament of its defending champion, but it offers the Russian a valuable opportunity to reestablish himself at the highest level and attempt to reclaim the throne at one of the season’s most important events.
