ATP Cup: Russia topples Italy to claim Aus Open warm up title
Tennis
by Joe Barton
Premium Content
The Russian invasion of Melbourne Park is almost complete - now an Australian Open beckons.
Russia's 'two-headed monster' of top-10 talents Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev demolished Italian rivals Matteo Berrettini and Fabio Fognini respectively to continue their unbeaten streaks this week and deliver Team Russia a comprehensive ATP Cup whitewash.
Because the emphatic nature of Medvedev's straight sets take-down of world No.10 Berrettini laid down a marker of what to expect at Melbourne Park in the next fortnight.
So severe was the thrashing that Italian captain Vincenzo Santopadre jokingly described the combined straight sets defeats - which ended the tie before the doubles - as 'a disaster'.