By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday November 13, 2023
Two-time champion Alexander Zverev rallied from a set down to edge Carlos Alcaraz in three sets at the ATP Finals.
Photo Source: TTV
Two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev knows a thing or two about winning matches against the best players in the world, late in the season.
The seventh-ranked German proved it again on Monday in Turin, rallying from a set down for the first time at the ATP Finals to spoil the debut of No.2-seeded Carlos Alcaraz 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 31 minutes.
The 2018 and 2021 ATP Finals winner saved five of six break points and was not broken in sets two and three as he improved his lifetime record against Alcaraz to 4-3 and advanced to the top of the Red Group in Turin.
Zverev did face his share of adversity over the course of the contest, however. After a sluggish start by both players, he was facing a break point early in the second set that would have seen him fall behind by a set and a break. Zverev let his racquet do the talking from there, as he ramped up his first serves and took control of play from the service stripe.
“The serve helped me a lot,” the 26-year-old said after his win. “Saving the break point in the first game of the second set helped me. You don’t want to go down a set and a break against the No.2 player in the world – I’m happy with the turnaround there.”
As Zverev was cruising with a break lead in the third set, at 3-2, Zverev encountered another type of scare. In the first point of the sixth game he slipped and tweaked his left ankle while chasing an Alcaraz crosscourt forehand into the corner of the court, and was reeling for a few moments as he tried to decipher the extent of the injury.
He took some time to walk off the injury and got back to business, winning the next four points to clear the hurdle.
It was a scary moment for the man who tore several ligaments in his right ankle in a similar incident last season at Roland-Garros. He would need surgery late in 2022, and is just regaining his form in the second half of the 2023 campaign.
“I didn’t twist my ankle, I just kind of slipped and pinched my Achilles a little bit, so it was kind of like a nervy pain for a while, but I don’t think any damage has been done,” Zverev said. “I hope not, obviously we’ll see when it settles down but it’s nothing compared to Paris.”
Zverev was taken to deuce in his next service game, while serving at 4-3, but hit a magnificent forehand pass to earn game point before acing Alcaraz on the next point for 5-3.
Two games later Alcaraz pressured again, earning a break point with Zverev serving at 5-4, 30-40, but Zverev’s 16th ace, followed by two service winners, snuffed out the rally and ended the battle.
Zverev improves to 13-8 lifetime at the ATP Finals, and 54-26 on the season.
He recorded 33 winners against 21 unforced errors, while Alcaraz hit 29 winners against 28 unforced.
Alcaraz, the youngest player in this year’s field in Turin, drops to 0-2 indoors in 2023.
“Obviously yes, it’s always nice to beat the best players in the world and he’s definitely one of them, it’s special to win on this court again,” Zverev said.