Erste Bank Open 2021: Alexander Zverev wins 18th career title in Vienna
Alexander Zverev is the champion of the Erste Bank Open 2021. The German won the final against Frances Tiafoe 7: 5 and 6: 4.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Oct 31, 2021, 03:48 pm
Alexander Zverev won his 21st and fourth title on the ATP Tour in 2021 at the Erste Bank Open. Zverev beat Frances Tiafoe 7: 5 and 6: 4 and was able to hold up the winner's cup for the fourth time after Acapulco, Madrid and Cincinnati. Zverev's most important success came at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, where there were no ATP points. Zverev succeeded Andrey Rublev, who triumphed in Vienna last year.
For Zverev it was the sixth victory in the seventh comparison with Tiafoe. The US-American put on a veritable marathon program in Vienna: Tiafoe had to overcome two qualification hurdles, in the round of 16 against Stefanos Tsitsipas made an almost epic comeback as well as in the semifinals against Jannik Sinner. Zverev was basically never at risk during his matches in Vienna - although the number two of the tournament had to give up one set each against Alex de Minaur and Félix Auger-Aliassime.
Zverev with the early break
The final basically started as expected: Zverev already had a chance of a break in Tiafoe's first service game, he then struck to make it 3-1. Quite surprisingly and favored by Zverev's mistakes, Tiafoe managed the immediate rebreak. The match was evenly balanced until the twelfth game, then Tiafoe had to fend off a set ball from Zverev at 30:40. A few moments later, the outsider put a forehand just outside the box, Zverev took the lead 7-5.
In the second round, Zverev seemed closer to a break - but when the score was 4: 4, Tiafoe suddenly found an opportunity. The hall was raging, Zverev stayed calm - and fended off with a strong serve. And the great class of the Olympic champion was shown in the final game of the final of the Erste Bank Open: Although Tiafoe contributed with two mistakes, the better player was able to prevail after 95 minutes of playing time.
Alexander Zverev joined the list of winners of the Stadthallen tournament as the fourth German with his success against Frances Tiafoe: In 1991, Michael Stich won in Vienna a few months after his Wimbledon triumph (in the final against Jan Siemerink), in 1996 Boris Becker was successful (also against the Dutchman Siemerink). Tommy Haas left the Austrian capital twice: in 2001 after a success against Guillermo Canas, in 2013 Haas defeated Robin Haase in the final.
Here the single tableau in Vienna
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