In 2018, Alexander Zverev won the Nitto ATP Finals by avenging a round-robin loss to Novak Djokovic with an upset of the Serb in the championship match.
Thus there was no panic when Zverev fell to Daniil Medvedev during round-robin competition earlier this week. The 24-year-old captured his second title at this prestigious event in similar fashion, making amends for his fifth consecutive loss to Medvedev by beating the Russian 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday afternoon in Turin.
Zverev struck eight aces compared to just one double-fault and did not face a single break point while triumphing in one hour and 15 minutes.
Breaks at 1-1 in the first set and in the opening game of the second proved to be enough for Zverev, because he was untouchable on serve. The third-ranked German’s only tense moment — the only time he was pushed to deuce in the entire match — came at 3-2 in the second, but he swiftly won the next two points for a clutch hold.
Zverev’s eighth ace on his second championship point at 5-4, 40-15 clinched victory in style.
“It was great,” Zverev assured. “I won the Finals — in the final against someone I had lost five times in a row. I had to play one of my best matches. I am happy about that and happy to go on holiday with this win…. There is no better way to end the season than winning here. I am incredibly happy and I am already looking forward to next year.”
“[My serve] didn’t really have that spark,” Medvedev lamented. “It wasn’t enough for Sascha, who is a great player and broke me two times. When you’re playing in a big final on a fast surface against someone who is serving like Sascha, it’s enough to win the match. We can talk about many things, but the serve was definitely the key today, and he was better.”
Medvedev was also going for his second Nitto ATP Finals title, having lifted the trophy in London last fall. The second-ranked Russian had been on a nine-match winning streak at the tournament prior to Sunday.
Zverev becomes the 10th man in history to win the year-end championship multiple times and he is the only player to win it twice since 2015.
great week for Zv….the younger generation is taking over….Hooray!!