ATP: ATP final: Alexander Zverev in Novak Djokovic’s group, Dominic Thiem with Roger Federer

The group draw for the ATP Finals in London’s O2 Arena has brought the German number one, Alexander Zverev, a meeting with Novak Djokovic. Dominic Thiem plays in a group with Roger Federer.

Thanks to Boris Becker, Germany’s best tennis professional Alexander Zverev is facing a difficult but solvable task at the ATP Final next week (11 to 18 November) in London. At the draw for the BBC The One Show, the German idol drew the names and started the world ranking fifth from Hamburg into the Guga Kuerten group together with the number one Novak Djokovic (Serbia), the former US Open winner Marin Cilic (Croatia) and the US serve giant John Isner.

In the Lleyton-Hewitt Group, record winners Roger Federer (Switzerland/6 victories), Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson (South Africa), Austrian Dominic Thiem and Japanese Kei Nishikori meet.

Nishikori had slipped into the field for US Open finalist Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina/Break of kneecap). Isner had taken Rafael Nadal’s place only a few hours before the draw on Monday. The Spaniard announced his renunciation of London. The 17-time Grand Slam champion had surgery on his right ankle on the same day. For the Majorcan the season is over.

This is Alexander Zverev’s second participation in London. In 2017, after only one victory, the group stage was the final destination for him. He has no negative balance against any of his upcoming three opponents. Djokovic was 1:1, while Cilic (5:1) and Isner (4:1) were the two most positive duels for Zverev.

Dominic Thiem is already at the season finale for the third time. The Lichtenwörther had reached the semi-finals in Paris, where he was defeated by the later winner Karen Khachanov in two sets. Like the battered Alexander Zverev before him. Thiem did not play against Roger Federer in 2018, won against Kevin Anderson in Madrid and at the US Open, won against Kei Nishikori in Roland Garros, but lost in Vienna.

The eight professionals will play the semi-finalists in two groups of four in London’s O2 Arena, which holds 20,000 spectators. There the two finalists will be determined crosswise. The winner will receive up to 2.7 million dollars, around 2.2 million euros. But the participation alone is worth it. All eight players will receive at least 203,000 dollars, just under 180,000 euros.

Defending champion Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) did not qualify as number 19 of the season ranking. There have been two German winners so far: Boris Becker won in 1988, 1992 and 1995, Michael Stich was successful in 1993.