ATP Finals: Alexander Zverev wrestles Novak Djokovic - final in Turin!
Alexander Zverev is in the final of the ATP Finals in Turin. The German defeated Novak Djokovic 7: 6 (4), 4: 6 and 6: 3 on Saturday evening. Daniil Medvedev is now waiting in the final.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit:
Nov 20, 2021, 11:44 pm
Novak Djokovic versus Alexander Zverev - so far, these have been highly prominent occasions on which the Serb and the German opened a duel. ATP Cup, Australian Open, Olympia and US Open: Zverev and Djokovic had already contested four epic fights in the calendar year 2021. With the exception of the Olympic Games, the man from Serbia always had a better ending. And now, at the fifth and last meeting of the year, nothing less than the entry into the final of the ATP Finals was up for grabs.
With extremely quick conditions in Turin - which almost all participants in Italy confirmed in unison - the first games in this match were marked by strong (and unreturned) serves. In the initial phase, therefore, nobody was able to really put pressure on the server.
Zverev escapes pressure situation
Up to the tenth game of the first set: Novak Djokovic had obviously decided to play every return into the field. No matter what should come from the side of his opponent. After three great rallies, the Serb found such a set ball, with two service winners - so yes - Zverev finally secured the game. With the self-confidence in the back of having survived this dicey situation, the German was now preparing to make the late break himself.
After Djokovic's backhand error, Zverev found two chances to make it 6: 5, but with two strong serves - one of them with an even stronger half volley - the world number one was able to defeat both times. And a little later set it to 6: 5. Zverev then had to go through 0:30 again after two slight forehand errors - but with four wins, the native of Hamburg played himself in a - performance-based - tiebreak.
Strong tie-break at Zverev
The first wobbler in this was Novak Djokovic, who "gave" his counterpart the first mini-break with a double fault. Zverev acknowledged this with a strong serve. As a result, Zverev and Djokovic exchanged mini breaks - the German's advantage remained. And the 24-year-old used it, a strong serve to the outside was unreturned. With 7: 6 (4) the number three in the tennis world secured set one.
The second set began similarly to the start of the match. Both players presented themselves firmly on their own serve, even though the German had gained control of the match for long stretches. In Djokovic's service games, however, the 24-year-old initially left a few half-chances, Break didn't want to succeed in the early stages.
Djokovic lets chance lie
In the ninth game of the set it was suddenly the Serb who, as so often in the decisive phase, increased the number of strokes and had a break chance after a strong net advance. However, Zverev was able to thwart with an ace. Seconds later, the world number one managed the break, an incredible backhand cross-court and a sensational return gave the industry leader an advantage.
Djokovic could not be denied this advantage in the second round, although Zverev once again braced himself vigorously against the loss of the set in the following game. The 24-year-old was able to thwart Djokovic's four set balls, but the fifth fit. And how. With an ace, the man from Belgrade made the balance perfect.
Zverev in the final against Medvedev
Alexander Zverev was not impressed by this, got over a short period of weakness in the first game and then picked up speed more and more. Not so Novak Djokovic, who made a catastrophic service game in the fourth game of the set, especially scattered with the forehand and had to accept the break.
Zverev pulled away to 4: 1, but had a lot of problems in the following service game. However, the 24-year-old was able to fend off a breakball from the Serb after an unfamiliar mistake by the world number one and after an extremely risky second serve finally also presented with 5: 2. Zverev shouldn't let that go away, after almost exactly two hours and 30 minutes, the native of Hamburg made the 7: 6 (4), 4: 6 and 6: 3 victory perfect. In the final tomorrow, Sunday, Daniil Medvedev, who had no problems with Casper Ruud in the afternoon, is waiting.
Here you can read the match in re-live!
turinmap