ATP Finals: Novak Djokovic again too strong for Alexander Zverev

Novak Djokovic remains on course for the ATP Finals in London. The world number one defeated Alexander Zverev safely in two sets.

By Jens Huiber from London

Special occasions will be acoustically brought closer to the audience during the ATP Finals in London. Breakballs, aces, set balls, the corresponding jingle has meanwhile established itself. But in the decisive phase of the first set between Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev it remained quiet in the O2 Arena. First break and set ball for Djokovic: nothing. Second set point: nothing.

Only before the third one something moved on the soundboard, Alexander Zverev reacted with a double mistake. Probably not owed to the short single player, but somewhere symptomatic for a first run, which was characterized by long distances mistakes of the two players.

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Novak Djokovic did not only win the first round, but also his second victory in the group stage after a playing time of 1:16 hours with 6:4 and 6:1.

Zverev and Djokovic last met in Shanghai, a court that, according to ATP diction, was almost as fast as the one in London. The world number one was clearly in the lead in Asia – and in the second half of the match, he was also the first to hit back with the larger share of the game.

After one hour of playing time, the level had noticeably increased, the spectators in the comparatively sparsely occupied hall appreciated this loudly and clearly. But Djokovic managed the break to 3:1 and the next one to 5:1. After 76 minutes Novak Djokovic had his first match point. The second one was used by the Serb.

Until the end of the first set, when Djokovic had to fend off two break points, it was a balanced match, Djokovic declared. The final balance, however, is like 33 mistakes for Alexander Zverev – too many to defeat the man who has lost only two matches since his triumph at Wimbledon: against Stefanos Tsitsipas in Toronto and against Karen Khachanov in Paris-Bercy.

However, the chances of Alexander Zverev making it to the next stage are still intact. The Hamburg-born man has his fate against John Isner in his own hands on Friday.