Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev (4-6, 3-6)
Seriously, who would have seen it coming? Who would have bet against Novak Djokovic in the ATP Finals 2018? Who would have predicted another player to lift the trophy in O2 other than the in-form Serb?
The narrative was supposed to be like this: Djokovic, no.22 not so long ago, claimed the no.1 ranking from Rafael Nadal and ended the season on a high with a masterful win in the curtain-closing men’s tournament. The Serb was unrivalled, and the campaigns of other players pale in comparison to the half year he has had this 2018.
The tournament was expected to be Djokovic’s crowning moment—a symbolic event that would have immortalised his return to stardom. However, all those hopes and prediction burst like a bubble as Alexander Zverev pulled off what is unarguably the biggest shock of the year.
Zverev, who has had an up-and-down campaign in the 2018 tour, stepped up when it mattered most, dominated the Djoker, and was rewarded with the biggest win and prize of his career.
Sure enough, one setback won’t take away the amazing run Djokovic had, but it undoubtedly put a damper on it. Meanwhile, for Zverev, his recent struggles would be forgotten as all eyes now focus on what he can achieve in 2019.
Highlights of the game
Put simply, the 21-year-old Zverev schooled the 31-year-old Djokovic. The German youngster completely controlled proceedings and went on to win in straight sets, thanks in large part to his booming serve and crisp groundstroke.
Pre-tournament ATP Finals 2018 odds at SBOBET had Djokovic as the clear favourite, and that was even more the case against Zverev. After all, Novak beat Sascha in the round-robin stage of the competition just five days ago.
Not to mention that Djokovic was coming off a spectacular win over Kevin Anderson in the semi-finals, during which he neutralised the South African’s big serves.
For his part, Zverev was fresh from ousting Roger Federer in the competition, albeit controversially after he stopped a crucial rally due to a blunder by a ball boy—he was even booed for it after his win!
Zverev, however, was quick to move on from all the negativity and ignored Djokovic’s form. He played with more confidence and showed no fear to rattle his highly favoured opponent.
ICYMI! Alexander Zverev made history in London.
Sascha stunned World no.1 Novak Djokovic in straight sets (6-4 6-3) to win his first season-ending title. 🏆 #ATPFinals pic.twitter.com/8Yby0Dsa0i
— SBOBET (@SBOBET) November 19, 2018
While the opening set turned into a see-saw affair, it was evident that Djokovic had no answer for Zverev’s serves and solid two-handed backhand.
Djokovic’s defensive power was his ultimate weapon throughout the tournament, using it to survive in long rallies. Nonetheless, Zverev didn’t back down, traded blows with the World No.1 and was surprisingly the last man standing in most exchanges.
At 5-4 and serving for the set, Zverev didn’t lose focus and hit three straight aces to put him well in position to win. He wasted his first set point, but Djokovic hit a forehand long in the next ensuing play to hand the German the advantage.
With the title just a set away, Zverev showed nerves in the second. He made his first double fault of the night in the second game and even missed a chance for a winner, allowing Djokovic to level matters at 1-1.
Zverev, though, quickly got the momentum back and pulled away with a 3-1 lead. He even won a 28-shot rally at one point to break in the third game.
The World No.5 remained solid on serve from there on and was barely threatened. He ended the match with a bang, firing a backhand winner that left Djokovic stunned and helpless.
“I wasn’t trying to overthink it. I just tried to go out there and enjoy the match as much as I can, enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the moment. That’s what I did,” Zverev said after the win. “My serve has been working well the whole week. I had a lot of confidence in it. It all worked out well.”
Key statistics
Service game made the difference for Zverev in the game, and it’s safe to say his serves allowed him to pull off one of the best ATP Finals 2018 results. Zverev hit 10 service aces compared to Djokovic’s one.
Moreover, it helped Zverev that he stopped Djokovic from dominating the neutral rallies. Heading into the final, Novak has won 81 percent of his second-serve points in the contest, but Sascha limited him to just 35 percent in their meeting.
Interestingly, Zverev becomes the youngest ATP finals winner since…you name it, Djokovic in 2008. He is also the first German winner in the year-ender since Boris Becker in 1995. Furthermore, the young gun is the first player ever to beat both Djokovic and Federer in the same ATP Finals.
What’s next?
With the 1,300 points that he got for winning the final, Zverev is now slated to climb to no.4 for the second straight season. Meanwhile, Djokovic will remain as the top-rated player in the world following his exploits in the second half of the year—a run which saw him bag the Wimbledon and US Open titles.
Zverev is yet to win a grand slam, so all the focus will be on him in 2019 as he tries to break his drought. The best result he had in a major tournament was his quarter-final appearance in this year’s French Open.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE TENNIS STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
