Alexander Zverev v Andrey Rublev - Result from the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals at The Pala Alpitour in Turin as Zverev signs off 2023 with a victory over the winless Rublev

Zverev signs off 2023 with a victory and condemns Andrey to three straight defeats this year in Turin.

The Russian saves two match points with a beauty of a crosscourt backhand and some real endurance in the next rally, but Sascha secures the win on the third with a hefty first serve.

Rublev looks closer to tears than displaying any sort of satisfaction as he poses the serve-out question with a game to 15.

He’s drinking in the last chance saloon now and needs Zverev’s imperious first serve to go for a wander for a few minutes if he’s to snare a lifeline…

Another ace down the T – an eighth of the night – helps Zverev along to what ends up being a routine game to 15 as Rublev’s desire to feel sorry for himself plays a bit of havoc with his radar for the lines.

Zverev produces a magnificent forehand pass on the run at full stretch to begin a fight back from 30-0 down.

The German jabs at a hopeful forehand down the line on the back foot and catches Rublev in no man’s land before an improvised crosscourt floater from his backhand wing lures a volley error into the net.

Sascha blows the return long on a first BP but gets a huge slice of luck when a net cord completely confuses Andrey to cough up a second chance.

This time there’s no escape as Rublev shanks a forehand into the tramlines and begins what feels like a familiar monologue of despair this week.

Sascha barely breaks sweat, maintaining a poker-face throughout a highly efficient clean hold.

The level is still good out there but we are short on drama at the moment. Of course, that could well be about to chance as the stakes a raised in the latter part of the set.

That will help keep his temper under control (for now).

It’s a highly efficient game to 15 that eases his stress and helps him keep his nose in front.

Rublev unleashes a pair of quite sensational forehand winners down the line – but still it’s not enough.

Zverev lands those hefty serves once more to wriggle level and Andrey can’t help but gesture manically on his baseline.

His anger and frustration are bubbling away under the surface right now. Can he calm himself down and keep his focus?

That’s rather routine too. Not much to chew on in the early stages of Set 2 as we remain on serve as Rublev rushes through for the loss of one point.

Sascha has got his serving Mojo flying very nicely right now and lands a fifth ace of the night on the charge to a dominant, clean hold.

Rublev is enduring a week to forget here and it probably wouldn’t be so surprising if he faded away in this second set.

But, the Russian has other ideas at the moment as he kicks off Set 2 with a strong game to 15, sizzling away a crunching crosscourt backhand along the way.

The massive serve is just the trick once again as Zverev powers his way back from 0-30 to serve out a very watch-able one hour and one minute opener.

Both players are exponents of the sulky, frustrated look and we get a dose or two of each in this one as Zverev gives Rublev plenty to ponder with the Russian’s first serve going AWOL.

A sizzling backhand up the line gives Andrey game point from deuce but he can’t convert and pulls his tongue out in exasperation as a clever attempt at the drop shot just comes up short and offers up BP.

Zverev duly converts and will now serve for the set.

Zverev’s T serve comes to the rescue as he almost takes the racquet out of the Russian’s hands to brush away a 15-30 deficit before landing a wicked kicker serve down the T that he backs up with a brutal crosscourt forehand.

Rublev forces him to deuce with a blistering crosscourt backhand winner and there’s another cagey face-off from there, with the German again proving to be clutch on serve to help him navigate out of choppy waters.

Both players are putting on a bit of show despite the lack of stakes regarding the outcome.

Rublev doesn’t hang around on his service game, delivering first serves and that trusty forehand to shorten points and nudge the board as we enter the business phase of this set.

A rollercoaster of a game needs all of Zverev’s focus as he lets a 30-0 lead slip and then faces all sorts of pressure and a break point from deuce.

Rublev can’t make it count though and another snatched forehand buries into the net to allow Sascha to wriggle off the hook.

Zverev reaches to his left to steer a beauty of a backhand pass down the line to turn the screw at 30-30 and he has a look at second straight back when Andrey sears a forehand just long.

This time the Russian resists with a sumptuous crosscourt drive volley and grinds out the hold from deuce prior to an agitated pep talk to himself as he takes his chair for the change of ends.

Sascha consolidates to 15 with the minimum of fuss and we are back on serve.