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Alcaraz Falls to Zverev, Medvedev Tops Rublev at ATP Finals 

Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts after winning his Red Group singles match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament in Turin, Italy, 13 November 2023. (EPA)
Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts after winning his Red Group singles match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament in Turin, Italy, 13 November 2023. (EPA)
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Alcaraz Falls to Zverev, Medvedev Tops Rublev at ATP Finals 

Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts after winning his Red Group singles match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament in Turin, Italy, 13 November 2023. (EPA)
Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts after winning his Red Group singles match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament in Turin, Italy, 13 November 2023. (EPA)

A sluggish Carlos Alcaraz was beaten 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4 by Alexander Zverev on his debut at the ATP Finals on Monday to continue his end-of-year slump with a third straight defeat.

The 20-year-old world number two, who missed last year's edition of the season-ending championship due to injury, put the blame for his loss squarely on the fast indoor surface at the cavernous Pala Alpitour in Turin.

"I don't know why they put this surface at the end of the year," the Spaniard said in his post-match news conference.

"All the tournaments we have played on hard court are so, so, slow and then we come here to the Masters (Cup) and they put this court so, so fast.

"I don't understand why they've set the speed so high for this tournament when we have never played on a surface like this all year."

Alcaraz is looking to become the youngest ATP Finals champion since Pete Sampras in 1991 and, despite the loss, still has a chance to advance to the knockout stages from the round-robin Red Group.

"This tournament is different for many things, and one of them is that it allows you to go through to the semi-finals despite losing the first match," Alcaraz posted on Instagram.

The Spaniard's next match is on Wednesday against Andrey Rublev, who went down 6-4 6-2 to Daniil Medvedev in his Red Group opener on Monday.

The Russian duo were expected to duke it out in another epic showdown after meeting in the final of the Dubai Open and the quarter-finals of the US Open earlier this year.

Fifth ranked Rublev, however, fell apart after losing the first set and failed to put up much resistance as Medvedev eased to a 7-2 career record in matches against his compatriot.

"I felt really good and was able to get the upper hand fast," Medvedev said.

"I like to play aggressive on my serve, but Rublev plays in such a style that he doesn't give me any other option because I don't have the power of Alcaraz or (Stefanos) Tsitsipas on my forehand."

The action continues on Tuesday with Tsitsipas taking on Holger Rune, and world number one Novak Djokovic facing Jannik Sinner.

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Liverpool Comes up Short against Forest Again in Premier League as Man City’s Fallibility Returns

Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood greets fans at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at the City Ground stadium in Nottingham, England, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP)
Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood greets fans at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at the City Ground stadium in Nottingham, England, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP)
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Liverpool Comes up Short against Forest Again in Premier League as Man City’s Fallibility Returns

Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood greets fans at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at the City Ground stadium in Nottingham, England, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP)
Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood greets fans at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at the City Ground stadium in Nottingham, England, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP)

Liverpool will be glad to see the back of Nottingham Forest.

Two games against the big surprise of the Premier League season have yielded just one point for the leaders after their 1-1 draw at Forest’s rocking City Ground on Tuesday.

Liverpool has lost only once in 20 games so far this campaign — and that was 1-0 at home to Forest in September.

Four months later, Diogo Jota scored with a header from a corner in the 66th minute — just 22 seconds after coming on as a substitute — to earn Liverpool a draw that maintained its six-point cushion over Forest, which moved into second place in its improbable bid to qualify for the Champions League. And who knows, maybe more.

Forest was on course to record an unlikely home-and-away double over Arne Slot’s team after top scorer Chris Wood scored in the eighth minute.

Liverpool piled on the pressure late on but again failed to defeat Forest, which started the season more likely to be in a relegation battle than competing for the title.

"Before the season we needed to get as quickly as possible to 40 points," Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels said, referring to the total that typically is enough to guarantee safety. "With 17 games to go, we have got 41 so we can look a little bit higher."

Forest’s fans goaded Slot at times in a febrile atmosphere at the City Ground that hasn’t been this bouncing for a generation. The good times look to be back at a club that was famously European champions in back-to-back years under managerial great Brian Clough, in 1979 and '80.

Liverpool has a game in hand over Forest so is still in a strong position to win a record-tying 20th English league title. Arsenal is in third place, a further point back, and can trim the gap to Liverpool to four points by beating Tottenham in the north London derby on Wednesday.

"If we continue bringing performances like in the second half today," Slot said, "then we will not always be that unlucky that it ends with a draw."

City's fallibility returns

Manchester City showed more late-game fallibility in squandering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Brentford.

City conceded in the 82nd minute and again two minutes into stoppage time after Phil Foden scored twice for the struggling champions, who are battling to simply qualify for the Champions League this season.

Prior to winning its last two league games against Leicester and West Ham, City had won just one in nine to drop out of the Champions League qualification positions. During that poor run, City conceded two late goals to lose to Manchester United while also throwing away a three-goal lead late in a 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in the Champions League.

"We have to manage (games) a little bit better," City manager Pep Guardiola said, "but today was not bad."

Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard were the scorers for Brentford to leave City in sixth place.

Last-gasp equalizer for Chelsea

Chelsea salvaged a 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth thanks to Reece James' free kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time but saw its winless run in the league extend to five games.

Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead with a cheeky finish in the 13th minute for his 14th goal of the season, only for Bournemouth to respond as Antoine Semenyo won a penalty — converted by Justin Kluivert — and smashed home a rising finish in the 68th.

Chelsea stayed in fourth place — at least until fifth-place Newcastle plays on Wednesday.

Potter’s first win Graham Potter secured his first win as West Ham manager as his new team beat Fulham 3-2.

Carlos Soler and Tomas Soucek scored first-half goals before Lucas Paqueta grabbed the crucial third for West Ham, which brought in Potter last week as a replacement for the fired Julen Lopetegui.

Potter’s first match in charge was a defeat at Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Friday.

Alex Iwobi scored Fulham’s goals to make it 2-1 and then 3-2.

West Ham moved 10 points clear of the relegation zone with the victory.

Orient set for City in FA Cup Third-tier Leyton Orient set up a fourth-round match with Man City in the FA Cup next month by beating second-tier Derby 6-5 on penalties.