WATCH: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic walk ATP Finals carpet alone, Medvedev and Tsitsipas get accompanied by family
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, along with the world's six other best players, dressed up and walked the carpet for the ATP Finals gala night on Thursday.
The prestigious tournament is all set to be played from November 13 to 20 in Italy's Turin. While Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz, and Felix Auger-Aliassime have been drawn into the Green Group along with the Spaniard, the Red Group has Stafanos Tsitspas, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Djokovic.
Thursday night saw all of the qualified singles, as well as doubles players, get together for the gala dinner at Nuvola Lavazza in Turin. Medvedev, who recently became a father for the first time, walked out with his wife Daria. Tsitsipas, on the other hand, was accompanied by his mother Julia Apostoli.
Fritz, who replaced World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz after an abdominal injury forced the Spaniard to withdraw, was seen walking the carpet with his girlfriend Morgan Riddle. Nadal, Djokovic, Rublev, and Aliassime were the lone warriors as they stepped out of the hotel one by one. One name missing from the grand event was Thanasi Kokkinakis' doubles partner Nick Kyrgios.
All the players are expected to once again come together on Friday for the official group portrait and media duties.
In the first four matches starting Sunday, Ruud will take on Aliassime, Nadal will face Fritz, Medvedev will clash with Rublev, and Djokovic will square off against Tsitsipas.
Rafael Nadal to face Taylor Fritz first up in ATP Finals
Rafael Nadal and Taylor Fritz are all set to write the fourth chapter of their rivalry, with the Spaniard currently leading 2-1 head-to-head. The two will play their first round-robin match against each other on Sunday in the ATP Finals. While the World No. 2 has qualified for the year-end championships for the 17th time, it's a first for the 25-year-old American.
The duo squared off against each other in the finals of the 2020 Mexican Open in Acapulco, where the experienced star breezed past a young Fritz 6-3, 6-2.
They met for the second time in the 2022 Indian Wells Masters finals in March. Right before the match, there were reports that Fritz might withdraw due to a foot injury. However, the No. 1 American defeated the Mallorcan 6-3, 7-6(5) to register his career's biggest win so far and lift the prestigious Masters 1000 title.
The third encounter came in the 2022 Wimbledon quarterfinals. The 36-year-old, who was struggling with a serious abdominal injury, fought throughout the epic five-setter and eventually won 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(4).