ATP Finals
Conciliatory conclusion: Zverev says goodbye with victory
Despite his victory, he missed out on a place in the semi-finals: Alexander Zverev. photo
© Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
Although the end in Turin was already certain before the last game, Alexander Zverev said goodbye to the ATP finals with a victory. He even celebrated a premiere against Andrei Rublev.
Rublev comes away empty-handed
Zverev converted his third match point in the meaningless game after 1:41 hours. After all, he still collected $390,000 (357,630 euros) for his victory. Rublev, on the other hand, remained winless in the entire tournament. For Zverev it was the first win against the Russian this year. Rublev won the other three duels in 2023.
The four best tennis players in the world are in the semi-finals. The Italian Jannik Sinner and Medvedev will meet on Saturday (2.30 p.m./Sky). Afterwards, world number one Novak Djokovic from Serbia and Alcaraz will play against each other in the top duel (9 p.m./Sky). The final takes place on Sunday (6 p.m./Sky).
hands tied
Zverev had already struggled with his situation before the last group games. “I’m now in an unfavorable situation. You never want that, you always want to have everything in your own hands,” Zverev said, referring to the dependence on Medvedev.
However, Zverev did not want to blame the Russian for the initial situation and the elimination. “If I don’t make it, I can’t blame anyone for it. Then it was only my own fault,” Zverev had already said after his defeat against Medvedev on Wednesday, in which he missed a few good chances, especially in the first set.
It was clear to Zverev and Rublev at the Pala Alpitour that it was no longer about anything for either of them. The two friends lacked tension and both made a lot of easy mistakes. Zverev initially fell behind with a break, but he immediately made up for it. After about an hour he got the first set.
Going into the break with a win
In the second round, Zverev got the break to make it 4:3 and ultimately managed a conciliatory end to the season. “Of course it’s a shame that I was eliminated despite two wins,” said Zverev after the game.
Zverev will now go on vacation. After a charity event on Monday, the Olympic champion in the Maldives wants to recharge his batteries for the new season, which begins for him around the turn of the year at the United Cup in Australia. Zverev will compete there together with Angelique Kerber, who wants to make her comeback after her maternity break in Sydney.