Djokovic stunned as Zverev wins ATP Finals

Alexander Zverev announced his arrival as a major force in world tennis with a stunning 6-4, 6-3 victory over world No.1 Novak Djokovic in the ATP Finals.

The Serb had lost just two matches since Wimbledon this summer and had breezed through the field - including his conqueror - earlier this week but he ran out of energy and ideas as Zverev claimed the biggest prize of his career so far.

The 21-year-old already has three Masters 1000 titles to his name but this is a victory of a higher grade. He might have beaten Roger Federer and Djokovic in those finals but to beat both in little over 24 hours is an impressive feat indeed. And to do it when his opponent, the best player in the world, is playing so well is all the more outstanding.

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Djokovic set the tone for this high-quality encounter as early as the bruising second point, manoeuvring his opponent around the court before applying the killer blow. It would take something impressive indeed to keep with the world No.1 in these early rounds but that is what Zverev offered, bounding around the court with the energy of a man who hadn’t just been put through the mill, physically and emotionally, in victory over Roger Federer.

There was no repeat of the antagonism some in the arena had shown to Zverev yesterday and the young pretender was soon winning over any doubters with his energy and raw power. At least initially, however, he perhaps lacked the guile to ask the unexpected of Djokovic, who was happy to settle in for the long haul and rally his opponent to submission.

A deft drop shot in the eighth game changed that and suddenly mistakes were creeping into Djokovic’s game, a loose forehand handing Zverev the break. A flurry of aces secured the set - even the greatest returner of all time can only do so much when the ball is continually flying his way at the best part of 140mph.

Zverev did not stop with the first set and at last rallies started going his way, a 26-shot battle in the first game of the second ending with the German bullying Djokovic on his second serve, though on this occasion he wasn’t able to capitalise on his break point. It was mere moments before he did, a howitzer of a forehand up the line pushing him ever closer to victory.

Over his 31-2 winning run since the All England Championships began Djokovic has not faced many occasions when anything approaching his best hasn’t been good enough but that had been the case here. Zverev had perhaps become cogniscent to the scale of what he was about to achieve when a brace of double faults immediately brought the second set back on serve.

But the German had youthful energy on his side as Djokovic felt forced to play the difficult shots in a bid to shorten the rallies, sending a drop shot into the net as Zverev took his third break in a row.

Djokovic did not go down without a fight but Zverev battled out of a 0-30 hole in style to move within two games of the match. From there the young German did not slow down with the finish line in sight, a stunning backhand pass securing a straight sets victory over the world No.1 in just an hour and 18 minutes.