Sixth time as a champion. - Zverev surpasses Becker's achievement.
Alexander Zverev, a talented tennis player aged 27, is gearing up to compete in Paris as one of the front-runners. Just a few days ago, he claimed victory at the Masters in Rome, surpassing Boris Becker's record of five titles. In the final match, Zverev outplayed Nicolas Jarry from Chile, with scores of 6:4, 7:5.
Overcome with excitement, Zverev told reporters, "This means a lot to me! This is my first-ever Masters win. After the injury, Rome holds a special place in my heart, and this moment is extra special for me and those around me." His dad, Alexander senior, was there to capture the award ceremony on his phone, and he shared in the celebration by receiving a champagne spray.
Zverev is officially the favorite for his eleventh Masters final, particularly because he's won five of his seven matches against the 24th-ranked player in the world. Even in the quarter-final match against Taylor Fritz, Zverev played impressively, earning 95% of the points when his first serve was accurate.
Zverev agreed, "It helps that I serve very well. The first three points are three aces. I only made two simple mistakes during the first set, whereas Jarry had 13." By showcasing his A-game in Rome, Zverev demonstrated that he's ready to tackle the second Grand Slam tournament of the year, which will commence next Sunday in Paris. He'll be arriving on Wednesday to hone his skills before the event.
With his success, Zverev is all set to secure the fourth position in the rankings. His latest win bumped Daniil Medvedev out of the number four spot. Prior to his injury and ensuing seven-month absence in 2022, Zverev was ranked No. 2.
Winning the first set 6:4, Zverev narrowly missed a chance to take the lead in the second set, quickly passing up break points. Nonetheless, he grew unstoppable and won the second set 7:5 in a span of 1 hour and 41 minutes.
Boris Becker, who's now in the 56th year of his life, expressed his joy over Zverev's success, posting on Twitter, "Fabulous!! Congratulations on your victory in Rome. Paris can come." Becker has reached 11 ATP Masters finals since 1990, albeit winning just five of them.
Had Alexander Zverev's career ended now, it would have marked a perfect finale. In 2017, he won his inaugural Masters trophy at the same venue, triumphing over Novak Djokovic (now aged 36). Notably, this was his second victory in Rome. "There aren't many places where I feel as much love as here. I feel like an Italian this week. I simply adore the city and the tournament," Zverev gushed.
Even so, not everyone could be present to witness the milestone - Zverev's partner, Sophia Thomalla (34), was en route to a TV shoot in Thailand when he triumphed. "I'm content with how well I played this week. But my joy is limited to one day. Then I'm leaving for Paris."
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Source: symclub.org
