By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, November 16, 2018
Alexander Zverev zapped 18 aces edging John Isner, 7-6 (5), 6-3, to advance to a semifinal showdown vs. Roger Federer at the Nitto ATP Finals in London.
Photo credit: Naomi Baker/Getty Images Europe
Qualification questions confronted Alexander Zverev in London.
A free-flowing Zverev spent the day delivering declarative answers.
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Zverev zapped 18 aces, rocketing an ace to erase a set point, dispatching John Isner, 7-6 (5), 6-3, to seal his spot in tomorrow's semifinals of the Nitto ATP Finals at London's O2 Arena.
"I am unbelievably happy to be through to the semifinals," Zverev said.
The 21-year-old Zverev is the youngest year-end semifinalist since a 21-year-old Juan Martin del Potro reached the 2009 final falling to Nikolay Davydenko. In his second appearance at the season-ending finale, Zverev raised his 2018 record to an ATP-best, and career-best, 56-19.
The Hamburg native is the first German to reach the final four since Rainer Schuettler, recently named coach of Angelique Kerber, advanced to the 2003 semifinals in Houston.
Rocking the radar gun with several serves that exceeded 140 mph, Zverev detonated a 143 mph blast off the line fighting off set point in the 12th game to force a first-set tie break.
"I can hit the 140s every once in a while," Zverev told ESPN's Darren Cahill afterward. "I tried to place it more against John today. Obviously, you don't want to give him a lot of second serves. He's super aggressive on second serves. It may have looked like I was serving harder today but actually I was trying to [place it]."
The third-seeded Zverev will face six-time champion Roger Federer for a spot in Sunday's final.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic takes on Kevin Anderson in tomorrow night's semifinal that is a rematch of the Wimbledon final.
The 37-year-old Swiss, who lost his opening round-robin match to Kei Nishikori, rebounded sweeping Dominic Thiem and Anderson in succession to surge into the semifinals for the 15th time in 16 ATP Finals appearances.
Continuing his quest for his 100th career title, Federer has won three of their five ATP encounters vs. Zverev, including a 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-1, victory in round-robin play in London last November.
"We played a few times," Zverev told ESPN's Darren Cahill. "Actually, I'm 4-3 down if you count two Hopman Cup matches. Obviously he's the greatest player of all time. It's gonna be a tough match. Hopefully an interesting match.
"Obviously you're into the semifinals of the ATP Finals there is no easy match, no easy opponents and I'm looking forward to the challenge."
Today, Zverev's assignment was simple: Win and you're in the semifinals.
While Isner's task was more demanding: the big man needed a straight-sets victory to sustain a shot of reaching the final four.
After a listless loss to Novak Djokovic on Wednesday, Zverev slammed the 11-month ATP season as "ridiculous" and sounded like a man worn out by the grind and ready for vacation.
Before a shot was struck, Zverev made a statement winning the coin toss and electing to receive.
In his first service game, Zverev shook off the Wednesday stupor slashing a 142 mph ace on his opening serve of the match.
The third seed withstood a jolting 111 mph forehand blast from Isner in holding to level after four games.
In the seventh game, Zverev made a move jamming a backhand pass down the line.
The 6'10" Isner carved out a couple of fine angled volleys rallying from 15-30 to hold for 4-3.
Former practice partners breezed through rapid holds with Zverev zapping aces to cap the eighth and 10th games.
Isner ripped a diagonal forehand for set point.
Undaunted, Zverev dramatically raised the stakes plastering a 143 mph ace off the line to erase set point.
Down a mini-break in the tie break, Isner unloaded a massive inside-out forehand return to get the break back and level at 5-all.
Fast hands proved crucial when Zverev made a slick pick-up of an Isner return that dance near the baseline earning set point.
Isner's inside-out forehand found the net and his slim semifinal shot went out the window with it as Zverev snatched the 49-minute opener with a superb serving performance and a spirted shout to London fans to make more noise.
The 6'6" German served 76 percent, pumped 10 aces—4 more than Isner—and won 25 of 30 first-serve points in the set.
Isner created his own issues in the eighth game of the second set.
The Miami champion squandered a 30-love lead, ballooned a forehand to face break point then hit a half-volley that sat up.
Swooping forward, Zverev fired an easy pass earning the crucial break for 5-3. Zverev served it out to set up the rematch with Federer.