Zverev Chasing Finale Hat-trick In Turin
by Grant Thompson
In the countdown to the Nitto ATP Finals (10-17 November), our new series, 'Towards Turin', will showcase qualified players and those in contention, and update fans on the fierce battle between the sport's best players to lock up one of the eight spots to the season finale.
Competing at the Nitto ATP Finals is no easy feat. The high-stakes tournament is reserved exclusively for the season’s top eight singles players, making it one of the most prestigious events on the ATP calendar. Getting your hands on the title is something else again.
A two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion, 27-year-old Alexander Zverev will be making his eighth appearance in the past nine years. Having triumphed in 2018 and 2021, he seeks to become just the seventh player in tournament history to claim three or more titles (Novak Djokovic holds the record with seven crowns.).
Zverev's 61 tour-level match wins (going into Friday's play in Vienna) represents the second-highest tally this season, only behind Jannik Sinner (65). The steadfast German's 6,315 points have him in third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The three other players who have already secured their place in Turin are Jannik Sinner, who holds a runaway Race lead (10,330 points), second-placed Carlos Alcaraz (6,710 points) and fourth-placed Daniil Medvedev (4,820 points).
Among those still in contention are Taylor Fritz, record seven-time Nitto ATP Finals champion Novak Djokovic and 2022 Turin finalist Casper Ruud.
Zverev won the Nitto ATP Finals in 2018 and 2021. Is a third Nitto ATP Finals trophy going to be the cherry on top for the Hamburg native's 2024 season?
ZVEREV'S 2024 STORY: RESILIENT REVIVAL
After a catastrophic ankle injury sidelined him for six months in 2022, Zverev capped a remarkable comeback season in 2023 by making it to Turin. In 2024 he built on the foundations of last season to return to a career-high No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, claimed his biggest title since injury and reached a second major final. He has also already bettered his previous best of 60 wins in a season. Zverev is back… and better?
“I think in some ways I learned quite a bit with the injury," the German told ATPTour.com. "I saw tennis as a spectator for about six or seven months. Watching matches, watching other players play, I was thinking I could do this or I could do that a bit better.
"I’m happy where I am. Of course this season I had some very tough losses as well. I wish I maybe won one or two more matches, but in general I can’t complain. I’m competing for big tournaments again and that’s the position I want to be in.”
INSIGHTS: DOUBLE TROUBLE
One of the biggest servers in the game, Zverev has been equally as effective on return in 2024, making a difficult combination for opponents. Zverev is the only player among the Top 5 in both serve (8.79) and return quality (7.46), according to Tennis Data Innovations, in partnership with TennisViz.
In baseline rallies, it doesn't get any easier for whomever is across from Zverev. The German possesses one of the best backhands on tour and according to TDI, Zverev this year made significant strides on his forehand. In 2023, Zverev was 13th on the forehand Shot Quality index; this year he has surged to fifth.
Zverev in Indian Wells. Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Zverev in Indian Wells. Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
THREE PEAK PERFORMANCES
1) Ruling In Rome
It was a full-circle moment in Rome for Zverev, who returned to the site where he captured his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title (2017). This year’s edition marked Zverev’s most significant title since his devastating ankle injury in 2022. “I wasn’t sure if this moment would ever come," Zverev said at the trophy ceremony, soaking in his reign in the Eternal City.
“I think the match that stands out for me was the quarter-final against Taylor Fritz,” Zverev told ATPTour.com when asked about his Rome run. “I thought I played an amazing match and just the level of tennis from my end was very high. I won the match quite comfortably against a quality player like him, so that gave me a lot of hope.
"Then also in the semi-finals [against Alejandro Tabilo], coming back from a 6-1 loss in the first set, and in the second set I was barely hanging on. Just winning those kinds of matches, that gives you quite a lot of confidence.”
Credit: Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images
Credit: Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images
2) City Of Tough Love
Zverev was dealt no favours in the luck of the draw at Roland Garros, but the 27-year-old passed such tests with flying colours, powering his way to his second major final. Fresh off his Rome title, Zverev defeated record 14-time champion Rafael Nadal in a blockbuster opening-round match before downing four Top 25 players that fortnight en route to the final.
Credit: Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Credit: Dan Istitene/Getty Images
3) Melbourne Marathons
Zverev’s semi-final run at the Australian Open featured three matches that surpassed the four-hour mark. He narrowly overcame Lukas Klein and Cameron Norrie in nail-biting deciding-set Match Tie-breaks, but it was Daniil Medvedev who halted Zverev's bid for a five-setter hat-trick in the last four. Earlier, Zverev had secured his fifth Lexus ATP Head2Head victory against second seed Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
MILESTONE MOMENT
The obstacles piled up at Roland Garros, but Zverev refused to fold. All eyes were on his first-round showdown with Nadal — a rematch of their 2022 clash, during which the ankle injury forced Zverev to shut down his season prematurely. Just days after beating Nadal, Zverev roared back from 1-4 in the fifth set to survive Tallon Griekspoor. Another five-set thriller followed, this time against Holger Rune in the fourth round, yet Zverev stood tall once again and eventually reached the championship match.
“In the end, looking back, when the draw came out I didn’t want to play Rafa," reflected Zverev. "I don’t think anybody did. Everybody wanted to see Rafa go and have a deep run, but for me it was still a special moment to share the court one last time [with him], especially there at Roland Garros. Just to have new memories, and not have the last memory of me being rolled away in a wheelchair against him on Philippe-Chatrier.
"Just the opportunity to play him again was amazing and generally I think the match was quite a high level. I think if he had played maybe some other opponents for the first few rounds, I think he would have been dangerous for anybody.”
Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
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