Impressive Zverev battles to victory against Alcaraz in opening group match in Turin
The German recovered from a set down in his opening match at the 2023 ATP Finals, coming through in three sets to top the Red Group standings
Alexander Zverev Rolex Paris Masters – Chryslene Caillaud / Panoramic
Alexander Zverev came through an entertaining encounter against Carlos Alcaraz, recovering from a set down to beat the Spaniard (3) 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in their opening group match at the ATP Finals in Turin.
Victory for the German nudges him in front of Alcaraz in their head-to-head record, with Zverev now leading 4-3.
More significantly, it also means that the two-time champion moves to the top of the Red Group, with Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev taking each other on in the group’s evening session.
Close opening set goes the way of the Spaniard before Zverev fights back
Both players started the match well, and the first set was closely fought. Zverev moved a break up in the third game, before Alcaraz pegged him back in the sixth.
The Spaniard then successfully fended off three consecutive break points from 0-40 down in the seventh to consolidate the break back.
A tiebreak was needed to separate the two, with Alcaraz confidently taking it 7-3 to move into a one-set lead.
But Zverev was not to be discouraged. Saving a break point in the opening game of the second set, he then found his best level to take the fight to Alcaraz.
With his serve operating very efficiently to form the base of a highly impressive overall performance, the two-time ATP Finals champion ramped up the pressure on Alcaraz, pressure that did not abate for the rest of the match.
Zverev broke the world No 2 in Alcaraz’s first service game of the second stanza. This proved to be all he needed as the rest of the middle set went on serve.
Zverev overcomes nasty-looking fall to close out an excellent win
The decider was, again, a close one. Alcaraz showed some glimpses of the stratospheric form he is capable of, but he struggled to maintain those sky-high levels against an opponent who was offering him nothing by the way of easy points.
Zverev made the first move again in the third, breaking in the fifth game when Alcaraz opted to leave an easy volley that landed in, handing the world No 8 the decisive break of serve.
The match looked as though it could have an unfortunate twist to it, as Zverev took a dangerous-looking fall over his right ankle in the sixth game, one that was uncomfortably reminiscent of the severe injury he sustained in his Roland-Garros semi-final against Nadal in 2022.
Although there were a few tentative steps following that fall, Zverev was thankfully able to continue relatively unencumbered – although there remained some signs of discomfort.
It did not stop him reaching the finish line, however, as the German successfully battled to a hard-fought win by holding serve for the rest of the match.
His final service game was a difficult one to navigate, shaking off the disappointment of a double-fault at 15-15 to fend off a break point and clinch victory after two hours and 31 minutes of quality tennis.
Promising news on ankle injury for Zverev as he gets off to an excellent start
“Saving the break point, in the first game of the second set, helped me,” Zverev said after the match.
“You don’t want to go down a set and a break to world No 2, so I’m happy with the turnaround there.
“Obviously, it’s always nice to beat the best players in the world and he [Alcaraz] is definitely one of them.”
There was good news on the ankle injury as well, as Zverev confirmed that no serious damage had been caused.
“I don’t think any damage has been done. I hope not… It’s nothing comparable to Paris I don’t think.”
Both players will have around 48 hours to prepare for their next group matches on Wednesday.
For Alcaraz, it will be a case of licking the wounds of a disappointing defeat in what continues to be a difficult late-season period for him. The matches this week won’t get any easier, but qualification is still very achievable for the world No 2.
Zverev, meanwhile, has demonstrated his pedigree in this competition, and once again shows just how much he belongs at the top table with the world’s finest players.
