Roger Federer comes out on top in two scrambles late in the first set against Alexander Zverev at the Nitto ATP Finals on Tuesday. Watch live tennis at TennisTV.com.
First-match nerves on debut are compounded for Alexander Zverev on a stage as big as the O2 arena for the Nitto ATP Finals. For Roger Federer, these debut nerves came 15 years ago. The then No. 6 in the Emirates ATP Rankings opened his season-ending campaign in Shanghai in 2002 against the World No. 4 – the Spaniard who now coaches Zverev – Juan Carlos Ferrero. For the record, the Swiss won that battle and on Sunday, he claimed his opening round-robin clash with American Jack Sock. Hours later, Zverev won his debut match at the season finale eking out a three-set victory over Marin Cilic. For the 36-year-old Federer, a six-time Nitto ATP Finals champion, experience has taught him...
Watch highlights as Roger Federer saw off Jack Sock and Alexander Zverev fought back to deny Marin Cilic at the Nitto ATP Finals on Sunday. Photo credit: Thomas Lovelock/ATP World Tour. Watch live matches on TennisTV.com
Jack Sock’s confidence is understandably riding high coming off his biggest career title in Paris to qualify for his Nitto ATP Finals debut. But staring down a 0-3 deficit in his FedExATP Head2Head series with Roger Federer coming into their opening round-robin clash on Sunday, it stands to reason he would have a few shock tactics up his sleeve to try throwing off the No. 2 seed. With Federer comfortably edging his way towards the opening set with a break in hand, Sock looked to have blown a game point for 3-4 when his attempted half volley propped up for a routine Federer putaway. Stranded at net and feeling the point was all but lost, the American turned his back...