(TURIN) If Alexander Zverev’s performance this weekend is a glimpse into him, then a lot can be expected from Germany in 2022.
Zverev, ranked third in the world, defeated the best players in consecutive matches to win his second ATP Finals title.
After defeating 1st seed Novak Djokovic in three rounds in the semifinals the day before, Zverev was dominant in Sunday’s final, defeating world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4.
Photo Guglielmo Mangaiban, Reuters
Alexander Zverev won the ATP Finals Cup for the second time.
Medvedev, the US Open champion, won this tournament last year, beating Zverev in their previous encounters.
“There is no better way to end the season than to win here,” Zverev said. I am already looking forward to next year. ”
Capping the full-year title, Zverev, who also won gold at the Tokyo Olympics and ended 2021 with more victories in the ring – 59, more than Medvedev by one.
What Zverev misses most about his track record is now the Grand Slam Cup, who lost an epic final to Dominic Thiem at last year’s US Open.
The final was a rematch in Tuesday’s rotation session, when Medvedev beat Zverev in the third set tiebreak.
Photo by Marco Bertorello, Agence France-Presse
Daniel Medvedev
This time around, Zverev took an early lead, going six foot six with a powerful backhand into the corner, then tapping a winning shot into the net to secure the break in game three of the match.
Aided by fast indoor court conditions at the Pala Alpitour, Zverev was nearly untouchable on his serve, and scored 20 of 25 points with his serve in the first set.
Zverev took the break again in the opening match of the second set and became so confident that he began making daring victorious shots quickly as he sometimes made it into the net on his serve.
This was the first edition of the end-of-season tournament for the top eight in Turin – after 12 years in London, where Zverev won his first title in 2018.
French Pierre-Huge Herbert and Nicolas Mahut won the doubles title by defeating Rajiv Ram and Joe Salisbury 6-4, 7-6 (0).