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Andrei Rublev
Photo: Alessandro Di Marco/EPA
Andrei Rublev won the Russian duel against Daniil Medvedev at the ATP finals, causing the second surprise of the tournament.
Rublev prevailed against his favorite compatriot in a gripping tennis game in Turin on Monday 6: 7 (7: 9), 6: 3, 7: 6 (9: 7).
After 2:31 hours, the 25-year-old completed his success.
After his victory, Rublev wrote "Peace, Peace, Peace, All we need" on a TV camera lens, probably alluding to the war in Ukraine.
Like all Russian and Belarusian tennis players, Rublev and Medvedev compete without a Russian flag or country next to their names due to sporting sanctions over Russia's war of aggression.
Rublev had already spread a similar appeal in February when he also wrote on the lens of a television camera shortly after Russia's invasion: "No war please".
In the second game of the day, former world number one and top favorite Novak Djokovic beat Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 6: 4 and 7: 6 (7: 4).
Djokovic is now up against Rublew, Tsitsipas meets Medvedev in the second group game of the tournament for the best eight players in the world.
The first and second in the group advance to the semi-finals.
Defending champion Alexander Zverev is missing this year due to a foot injury.
ast/dpa/rtr/AP