'Tarzan' Zverev? Medvedev and Rublev's 'same horrible slice'? ATP pairs up Turin qualifiers

The latest edition of the Nitto ATP Finals are well underway in Turin.

But before the competitors began dueling it out, the ATP’s content team paired four duos together for a round of questions aimed at bringing out positivity and a little bit of spice.

The pairs: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur, and of course, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev.

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The players warmed up for the interview by serving up admirable qualities about their peers.

“It’s the way that you compete,” said Fritz to De Minaur.

“Your mentality and the way you play in the bad and good moments,” praised Alcaraz to Sinner.

Asked to provide nicknames, Medvedev and Ruud offered fresher takes.

“I heard a very good one in China. ‘Golden monkey’ and I absolutely loved it,” the 2020 champion shared with Rublev.

Divulged Ruud to Zverev, “Lately I’ve been calling you Tarzan because of the hair.”

After revealing which shot they’d like to take from their colleague, the heat turned up when it was time to disclose which shot they’d be happy to leave behind.

“Be brutal, mate,” insisted De Minaur.

“There’s nothing,” replied Fritz to which the Australian remarked, “There’s plenty.”

“I guess I’ll keep my serve.”

Ruud and Zverev each had immediate thoughts that were met with complete agreement.

“Backhand,” said the German, before Ruud countered with, “Drop shot.”

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I heard a very good one in China. ‘Golden monkey’ and I absolutely loved it. Medvedev's nickname for Rublev

Laughed Medvedev, “We have the same horrible slice.”

Admitted Rublev, “If I slice, I don’t know where it’s going to go.”

When it came time to select best dressed in the room, De Minaur acknowledged, “There’s only one runway model sitting here…”

“If you’re gonna give it to me, I’ll take it,” reacted Fritz.

Sinner also conceded defeat to Alcaraz, remarking “I go with you” to wrap up their interview.

Medvedev and Zverev are the lone former winners in this year’s field, with defending champion Novak Djokovic withdrawing ahead of the event. Sinner and Ruud are former runner-ups, with De Minaur making his event debut.