ATP Finals London: The big generation duel - again, the last time?
The last two editions of the ATP Finals have won two outsiders, Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov. Will the big stars of the scene - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer - assert themselves this time?
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Nov 08, 2019, 05:11 pm
As the World Tennis Championships last year on the home straight, only a few experts had Alexander Zverev as title hero on their bill. Zverev had to face Roger Federer in the semi-finals, and even if he won this match, he would face the supposedly unbeatable number one Novak Djokovic in the final. But then everything turned out quite differently, Zverev experienced two extraordinary moments in the London 02-Arena within 24 hours, he beat Federer in a gripping semi-final fight. And then he beat Djokovic too, sovereign, without fear and doubt, at any time master and sovereign of the event. "It was the highlight of my career so far," says Zverev, "I've never played tennis better."
When the eight best tennis players of the 2019 season meet again in the east of the British capital, under the roof of the 02 Arena, Zverev is back. He slipped into the field at the last minute, also thanks to a few mistakes of the dear competition. Much has changed since the glittering November days of 2018, Zverev, the reigning world champion, is no longer taken for granted as Crown Prince for the "Big Three", for the superstars Djokovic, Federer and Nadal. Another has outclassed him, the Russian season-newcomer Daniil Medvedev. The man who recently became the Next Generation Grand in a Grand Slam final, bringing Nadal to the brink of defeat in New York in a rousing five-set final. "He is currently the strongest player ever," says Zverev over the 23-year-old Muscovite. Recently, the Hamburger had the Masters final in Shanghai strikingly lost to Medvedev. Zverev will contest his first group match against leaderboard leader Nadal on Monday.
Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Berrettini - parade of debutants
In London, however, do not fight players of the age group from early to mid-twenties with each other for the most important trophy beyond the Grand Slam world. Once again, perhaps for the last time, the generation struggle dominates the duels on the center court - on the one hand, the trio of established grandees, the eternal grandmasters. And on the other side the young challenger, Zverev, the defending champion. And three debutants: Medvedev, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and the Italian Matteo Berrettini. Somewhere in between, with his 26 years: The Austrian Dominic Thiem. Sweden's former leader Mats Wilander foresees an "unpredictable tournament": "It really depends on who can and wants to mobilize the last reserves here after a very hard season."
In fact, many of the winners of the World Cup fighters drag themselves into the tournament with a lot of pain and more or less severe injuries - especially Matador Nadal, who got off a muscle injury last week at the Masters in Paris. The Mallorcan has already canceled the final celebrations of the traveling circus six times, and at his last start in 2017 he also played only one group match before retiring. In none of the top players, the wear and tear of the much too long tennis series as clearly as Nadal. Admittedly, competitors have also reduced their workload drastically in recent weeks in order to be reasonably fit to compete in London, and surprise man Medvedev was one of them - he even made a brief decision to cancel his home tournament in Moscow.
Federer manages the 100th title - and more
Until three years ago, the World Cup tournament was a prey to the establishment. Between 2006 and 2015 Federer won the cup four times, Djokovic even five times. Only the Russian Davydenko broke in 2009 in the phalanx of top stars. In 2017, the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, the eternal talent, won the player, who was also called "baby-fed" because of his stylistic resemblance to the maestro. And in 2018, Zverev was the champion, but like Dimitrov, he struggled to capitalize on the biggest career triumph in the day-to-day business. While Zverev often stumbled enough on his travels through the tennis world, also because of various problems in his private and sporting environment, the hierarchy was basically untouchable again: Djokovic and Nadal each won two Grand Slam titles, and Federer provided with his 100. Career titles and record successes in Halle and Basel (10 wins each) caused a sensation. Only Medvedev stole the top trio meanwhile the headlines, with six finals in a row and two Masters successes from summer to fall.
With Nadal as number one, Djokovic as number two and Federer as number three now begins the championship fight. But he does not have to end up in that order, despite all the persistence of extraordinary gentlemen.