Zverev stuns Djokovic to claim ATP Finals title

November 20, 2018 00:00:00

Alexander Zverev holding up the trophy after beating Novak Djokovic in their final match of the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London on Sunday — AFP

LONDON, Nov 19 (Reuters): Twenty four hours after being booed for having the audacity to take down a tennis great, Alexander Zverev returned to topple another one as he stunned Novak Djokovic to win the ATP Finals title on Sunday.

Zverev, billed as the player most likely to lead the sport into a new golden era once the holy trinity of Roger Federer, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have hung up their rackets, took full advantage of an off-key Serb to win 6-4 6-3.

Hamburg-born Zverev had been shamefully booed and heckled on Saturday by a Federer-worshipping crowd having beaten the six-time champion after a controversial second-set tiebreak.

Against world number one Djokovic, however, the 18,000 fans wedged into the cavernous O2 arena were roaring their support as he produced a level of tennis his opponent could not match.

He struck 20 winners to Djokovic's seven - the last of which was a backhand to end a one hour and 19 minute duel.

"I really can't describe it. It is the biggest title I have ever won," Zverev said on court after becoming the first German to win the ATP's most prestigious title - often referred to as 'the fifth slam' - since Boris Becker in Frankfurt in 1995.

Later, Djokovic told reporters: "There's a lot of similarities in terms of trajectory of professional tennis, in our careers. Hopefully he can surpass me.