Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev
If you ask tennis fans who were watching the ATP Finals 2018 as it unfolded in London, some might have actually asked for a Roger Federer-Novak Djokovic finale. After all, we don’t know if the Swiss will still be as dominant as he is right now when 2019 comes along.
However, it’s useless to cry over things that never happened, so let’s focus on the really good stuff: the deadly-efficient Novak Djokovic will be trading blows against one of the most confident young athletes in Alexander Zverev.
Both are passionate men who play extremely good tennis, and there’s no question that they were listed as big contenders to make it out of their group in the run-up to the round robin. There are only a few people outside the ATP Finals 2018 news circles who think that this final will not be a terrific curtain-closer to the men’s tour.
Now is the time to answer the age-old question: who is the best men’s player for 2018?
Talking Points
Can an Emotional Zverev Triumph?
Zverev is in an interesting situation at the moment when it comes to his ATP Finals journey.
Pretty much the entire Roger Federer contingent of the tournament will be leering at the young German after his call to reset the game during an important moment for Federer’s fightback. Zverev is understandably affected by the incident and is surely thinking about what just happened at the O2.
However, he must remember that he cannot change the past and that he can only focus on moving forward. He must consult his team and find ways to break a seemingly unstoppable foe in Djokovic.
The German has had a lacklustre year so far, paltering in the second half of the year but performing well enough to get an invite to the prestigious event attended only by the top eight players in the world.
If Zverev is looking for something to cheer him up, he should look no further than the man he beat to get to where he is.
Federer gave what some could perceive as a seal of approval to Zverev, saying that the German has proven himself as a top-five player through the year and is capable of snatching the title from his Serbian foe.
Maybe this is the pick-me-up he needs to get out of a rut and get into good form again.
Djokovic Wants It All, Naturally
As a neutral tennis fan that has no personal preferences in terms of player, I have to say that there is something uniquely entertaining with the way Djokovic has carried himself lately.
Maybe it is good that he is mad all the time, as he took what should have been an interesting game against Kevin Anderson into a one-sided beatdown that brilliantly presented all of Djokovic’s good points.
Djokovic, a player that is more known for his receiving game, has been playing his serves well lately. Of course, his return game is still on point as he is yet to be broken in four matches. With the offensive and defensive superiority he has shown recently, I don’t see him losing any more tennis games.
Now that he is set to face the young German again, the Serbian is full of confidence. He is a superb player on the hard courts, and his current form makes him a terrifying presence that will cause a lot of problems for Zverev.
The only real chance Zverev would have a shot into cracking this game is that the Serbian would let go of the gas pedal a little bit. However, I don’t think that the Serbian, starving for glory, would let that happen.
History
The two don’t have much history together as they have only played each other thrice on the pro tour. The first was in 2017 during the period of intense struggle for the Serbian. He didn’t offer much resistance against Zverev who easily crushed him.
However, by the time the Shanghai Masters came around, Djokovic is back to his usual winning ways. He showed the young German just how dominant he can be on the court by allowing him to win a total of three games while he won in straight sets.
Their round-robin duel in the ATP Finals is also a telling indication: Zverev managed to push Djokovic to 6-4 in the first set, but the Serbian figured out the German’s game and dominated the second set, 6-1.
What are the odds?
There are interesting ATP Finals 2018 odds at SBOBET, and many naturally see the German winning the game in straight sets.
Many are so confident in Djokovic’s dominant form that a -1.50 handicap provides punters with odd of 1.50. If that’s not a vote of confidence for Djokovic’s ability to dominate games in convincing fashion, I don’t know what is.
However, Zverev fans don’t have to feel left behind. SBOBET has 2.51 for a +1.50 boost. If you believe that your man could take the game to its fullest distance, then I recommend this punt for you.
There’s one tennis match left for the 2018 season, so let’s make it a fantastic one!
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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