After missing the semi-finals at the ATP Finals, Alexander Zverev ended his comeback season with a win and received another handsome Christmas bonus.
The Olympic champion defeated Andrey Rublev, also 26, 6:4, 6:4 in his last group game, which was meaningless in terms of sport, in Turin and inflicted the Russian’s third defeat in the third match.
“I have to look at it positively, even though I was eliminated in the group stage, after all I beat Alcaraz and Rublev,” said Zverev: “Being back among the best players in the world motivates me for next year. I won’t stop to work. I love this sport.” On “Sky” he added aggressively: “Next season can be interesting.”
Zverev, former number two in the world, ends the tennis year in seventh place. The success over Rublev, his second at the season finale, brought him another 200 ATP points and around 350,000 euros in prize money. Zverev won 54 of 80 matches this year and took the titles in his hometown of Hamburg and in Chendgu, China.
No help from Medvedev for Zverev
Alcaraz, Medvedev and Zverev have achieved two wins and one defeat, but Zverev has the worst set record of the trio.
Zverev won the prestigious season finale in 2018 and 2021. In Turin he initially caused a stir with his opening win over Alcaraz, but after the two-set defeat against Medvedev he no longer had his fate in his own hands.
Highlights: Alcaraz gets the last semi-final ticket against Medvedev