The year of Alexander Zverev - only the majors are still missing
By winning the ATP Finals in London, Alexander Zverev has taken the next step in his tennis career. In 2019, major successes at the Grand Slam tournaments should finally appear.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Dec 23, 2018, 04:58 pm
Everything for Alexander Zverev in 2018: a victory on German soil in Munich, in a 250 tournament. One level higher the success in Washington in the summer, in Madrid there had been the third triumph at a Masters 1000 event. And the crown of the year, which the native of Hamburg finished fourth in the ATP charts, was the victory at the ATP Finals in London.
What is still missing is the big breakthrough in a Grand Slam tournament, with the quarterfinals in Roland Garros, Zverev has set a new personal record in this regard. Even if he could not fight the match against Dominic Thiem in full possession of his powers.
Flawless service against Novak Djokovic
The last impression in 2018 will be that success against Novak Djokovic in London's O2 Arena. Zverev had lost in two sets against the Serb in the group stage - even if there had been chances of victory for the German in round one. In the endgame, however, Zverev shows a flawless performance, especially as a server.
Zverev may have shown the best best-of-three match in Rome - in the final against Rafael Nadal. As long as it was dry. After the rain break in the third set, Nadal did not allow anything more, not even the close defense of Zverev's title in the Foro Italico.
Successful in Madrid against Dominc Thiem
The march through to the final in Rome was all the more remarkable since Zverev lifted the trophy in Madrid the week before. Under completely different conditions than in the Italian capital. And against Dominic Thiem, who went into the final as an easy favorite.
So the only thing missing is the big coup at one of the four largest tournaments in the tennis year. Germany's number one in Roland Garros has already proven that Alexander Zverev can play successful tennis over five sets: against Dusan Lajovic, against Damir Dzumhur, and against Karen Khachanov. The latter is now known to scratch the top ten.