Turin, Nov 21: For the second time this year, Alexander Zverev has denied Novak Djokovic the chance to play for a big trophy.
Following up his win over the top-ranked player in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics, Zverev beat Djokovic 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 at the same stage of the ATP Finals on Saturday.
“Every time we play against each other, it’s very high level,” Zverev said. The result means Djokovic can’t match Roger Federer’s record of six titles at the season-ending event for the top eight players. At least not this year.
Instead, Zverev will play second-ranked Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final. Medvedev, the U.S. Open champion, beat first-time qualifier Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-2 earlier as he seeks to defend his title in the first edition of the tournament in Turin – after 12 years in London.
Medvedev has won his last five meetings with Zverev, including a round-robin match earlier this week that was decided in a third-set tiebreaker. Zverev won this event in 2018.
Djokovic committed a series of uncharacteristic baseline errors to hand Zverev the decisive break midway through the third set. Zverev then held his nerve, saving a break point, before serving a slicing ace down the T on his first match point.
In September at the U.S. Open, Medvedev ended Djokovic’s bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam by beating the Serb in the final to lift his first trophy at a major.
Dictating play from the start against Ruud, Medvedev improved to 9-0 at the ATP Finals since going 0-3 in his 2019 debut.
An inside-out forehand winner from Medvedev that concluded a 32-shot rally led to an early break in the opening set.
Then Medvedev began varying his game more with forays to the net and drop shots as he again broke midway through the second set.
Medvedev, who didn’t face a single break point and won 11 of 15 points at the net, finished it off with a perfectly executed serve and volley on his first match point. (AP)
