By Alberto Amalfi | Saturday, May 25, 2019
Alexander Zverev saved two match points in the tie breaker out-dueling Nicolas Jarry, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8), in a pulsating Geneva final for his first title of 2019.
Photo credit: Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open Facebook
Alexander Zverev showed a steely spine and fierce appetite for the fight seizing his first title of the season in a Geneva thriller.
The top-seeded Zverev saved two match points in the tie breaker out-dueling Nicolas Jarry, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8), in a pulsating Geneva Open final that featured a couple of rain delays and concluded with both weary warriors embracing near net.
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“It was a very tough match," Zverev said. "He was playing aggressively, serving big and hitting everything he could. I thought I was in control until the rain came, but I’m happy to find a way. I felt it could have gone either way.”
It is Zverev's first title since last November when he defeated Roger Federer and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in succession to capture his biggest career championship at the ATP Finals in London.
It didn't come easy.
The fifth-ranked German denied six of seven break points; Jarry fought off 11 of 12 break points as both men dug in with defiance in riveting and sometime jittery tie breaker.
Bidding for his first career title, the 75th-ranked Chilean showed his aggression fighting off a match point in a 14-shot rally to level the breaker at 6-6.
A tight Zverev pushed his eighth double fault wide of the center stripe handing Jarry match point.
In the ensuing 13-shot rally, Jarry was agonizingly close to closing but botched a backhand volley into the bottom of the net.
Thundering a forehand down the line gave Jarry a second match point, but the Chilean netted his favored forehand from the center of the court as Zverev leveled again, 8-8.
The sight of Jarry charging net can be menacing, but Zverev stayed calm and drilled an electric backhand pass down the line that ticked the sideline for a second match point.
When Jarry sailed a forehand, Zverev raised his arms in both relief and joy claiming his 11th career title.