Roger Federer will end the year tantalisingly short of his 100th career title after he was forced to bow to young Alexander Zverev at the ATP Finals on Saturday.
Roger Federer
London:
After 11 games without so much as a break point, it was Federer who surprisingly blinked first. Zverev curled a superb running forehand pass down the line to get to 0-30 on the Federer serve and was then gifted two points and the set as the second seed’s forehand malfunctioned. The German, winner of most matches on Tour this year, had his opponent in trouble when Federer served at 3-4, but the Swiss reeled off four points to stay on level terms. Federer saved one match point in the tie-break, but Zverev would not be denied, belting away a backhand drive volley to end the contest.
The 37-year-old Federer, whose 99 titles are second only to the 109 of Jimmy Connors, began the day’s first semi-final as favourite, but it was German Zverev who revelled in the big match atmosphere at a packed O2 Arena to win 7-5 7-6(5). Zverev is the first German to reach the final of the season-ender since Boris Becker in 1996.
After 11 games without so much as a break point, it was Federer who surprisingly blinked first. Zverev curled a superb running forehand pass down the line to get to 0-30 on the Federer serve and was then gifted two points and the set as the second seed’s forehand malfunctioned. The German, winner of most matches on Tour this year, had his opponent in trouble when Federer served at 3-4, but the Swiss reeled off four points to stay on level terms. Federer saved one match point in the tie-break, but Zverev would not be denied, belting away a backhand drive volley to end the contest.