Alexander Zverev could have hardly envisioned a better European clay-court swing so far. With three weeks remaining, the 21-year-old has won two titles, reached three finals and compiled a 16-2 record on the red dirt. Earlier this week in Rome, the German had strung together winning streaks of 13 matches and 23 sets. On Sunday, he competed in his fifth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final and took a set off Rafael Nadal on clay for the first time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series before falling 6-1, 1-6, 6-3. But of all the results Zverev could celebrate, he said his second consecutive run to the Internazionali BNL d'Italia final in Rome is the “most satisfying”. “Even when I was...
Despite falling to Rafael Nadal in straight sets at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Saturday, Novak Djokovic can take a lot of positives out of his week in Rome. The former World No. 1 showed signs in the Italian capital of returning to the level that helped him clinch the year-end No. 1 ATP Ranking on four occasions. He reached his first tour-level semi-final of the season as he continues his comeback from a right elbow injury. “I can only take positives from this week," reflected Djokovic. "I didn't really expect anything coming into this tournament, when it comes to results, because I didn't have many great results in the last period. I'm pleased with how I've played [in the]...
Juan Martin del Potro will undergo tests and then assess his immediate playing future after retiring from his third-round match against David Goffin at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome on Thursday. [ALSO LIKE] Del Potro said he felt something wrong with his left leg during the first set. He received treatment for what looked like a left-groin injury during his 1-1 service game of the second set. The No. 6 player in the ATP Rankings eventually retired down 2-6, 5-4. “I was worried about that so I decided to stop the game at the end of the second set to see the doctor and see what they say,” Del Potro said. “I will do all of the exams now...
For the second consecutive year, Dominic Thiem narrowly missed out on winning his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at the Mutua Madrid Open. Thiem, who fell to Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday, lost to Rafael Nadal in the 2017 Madrid final. But the 24-year-old Austrian will leave the Spanish capital with something nearly as important as his first Masters 1000 crown: confidence. Thiem beat two Top 10 players – then-No. 1 Nadal and then-No. 8 Kevin Anderson – in addition to BNP Paribas Open semi-finalist Borna Coric and Argentina's Federico Delbonis to reach his second Madrid final. After quarter-final departures at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (l. to Nadal) and the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell (l. to Tsitsipas),...
What is the formula to dominate an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event? Just ask Alexander Zverev. Zverev didn't just dominate the 2018 Mutua Madrid Open. The World No. 3 thoroughly annihilated the field en route to his third Masters 1000 crown and first in the Spanish capital. No breaks surrended in 48 service games. Only one break point faced throughout the tournament. And a total of zero sets lost. Zverev put a bow on a perfect week with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Dominic Thiem on Sunday, blasting past his Austrian rival without pause. The 21-year-old admits that while it was a flawless performance in the Caja Mágica, it's one that he expects from himself. "I didn't get broken...
