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German clinches fourth ATP Masters 1000 trophy
Alexander Zverev earned his second Mutua Madrid Open title on Sunday when he defeated Matteo Berrettini 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-3 to lift his fourth ATP Masters 1000 trophy.

The fifth seed, who was unable to convert a set point at 7/6 in the first-set tie-break, claimed three service breaks in the next two sets to complete a memorable week at La Caja Magica with the trophy. Zverev overcame three consecutive Top 10 stars to claim the title, following earlier wins against five-time champion Rafael Nadal and two-time runner-up Dominic Thiem.

“It is great [to win this title], especially after losing my last three finals I played at Masters 1000 events,” Zverev said in his post-match interview. “This is definitely special and I just want to enjoy this one.”

This is only the second time that the 24-year-old has posted three or more Top 10 wins at a single event, following his 2018 title run at the Nitto ATP Finals (4). Zverev had not won consecutive matches in three straight tournaments before arriving in the Spanish capital.

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Zverev’s victory ended a three-year Masters 1000 title drought for the German. The World No. 6 did not drop his serve en route to his first Madrid crown in 2018. Zverev owns a 15-2 record in Madrid, which represents his best win percentage (.882) across all nine Masters 1000 tournaments.

Zverev and Berrettini’s clash was the fourth straight Masters 1000 final to be contested by past or present #NextGenATP players. Since the #NextGenATP campaign began in 2016, with players born in 1995 or later, Zverev has won more tour-level titles than any other #NextGenATP alumnus. The 6’6” right-hander has lifted 15 ATP Tour titles, five trophies clear of second-placed Daniil Medvedev (10).

Recent ATP Masters 1000 Finals Between #NextGenATP Alumni

Event Champion (Age) Runner-Up (Age)
2021 Madrid Alexander Zverev (24) Matteo Berrettini (25)
2021 Monte-Carlo Stefanos Tsitsipas (22) Andrey Rublev (23)
2021 Miami Hubert Hurkacz (24) Jannik Sinner (19)
2020 Paris Daniil Medvedev (24) Alexander Zverev (23)
After trading breaks late in the first set, Berrettini overpowered Zverev to establish a 5/0 tie-break lead. Zverev made a remarkable comeback to earn set point at 7/6, but Berrettini played with aggression on his serve and forehand to escape danger. Four points later, the Italian fired another powerful serve out wide to convert his fourth set point.

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Zverev served with confidence and capitalised on a series of errors from his opponent at 4-4 in the second set to push the match to a decider, and he rode the momentum into the third set. The 2018 Nitto ATP Finals champion outlasted Berrettini in baseline rallies to break at 2-2 and he converted his second championship point when the eighth seed fired wide on an attempted crosscourt backhand.

“[Matteo’s] game style showed it all,” Zverev said. “I didn’t play anybody this week that can serve 235[km/h] on clay and serve 230km/h kick serves. It definitely was a different match and I am extremely happy right now.”

Zverev will now travel to Rome, where he will compete as the sixth seed at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. The 15-time ATP Tour titlist has reached two finals in the Italian capital, highlighted by his maiden Masters 1000 triumph in 2017.

“Rome is also an event I like and enjoy, so I hope I can perform [in] the same way as I did here and we will see how it goes there. I feel awesome,” Zverev said.

Berrettini was aiming to join 2019 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters champion Fabio Fognini as only the second Italian to win a Masters 1000 crown. The 25-year-old, who entered the Madrid final on an eight-match winning streak, defeated Fognini, Federico Delbonis, Cristian Garin and Casper Ruud en route to his maiden Masters 1000 final. Berrettini has compiled an 8-2 record on clay this year since recovering from an abdominal injury he sustained at the Australian Open in February.

Learn how the German persevered in the third set Sunday
Crunch time roared to life with Alexander Zverev serving at break point at 1-2 in the third set of the Mutua Madrid Open final against Matteo Berrettini on Sunday. The match was two hours and 11 minutes old and everything that came before this moment was simply the prelude.

In a pivotal two-game sequence at 1-2 in the third set, Zverev initially imploded with two double faults and he strategically struggled figuring out what to do with Berrettini’s wicked crosscourt backhand slice. But from break point down at 1-2, 40/Ad, Zverev won seven of the next eight points to suddenly find himself up a break at 3-2 in the decider. He was not threatened again, pulling away for a 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-3 victory to claim his second Madrid title.

A key to Zverev’s impressive turnaround early in the third set was how he tactically adjusted to Berrettini’s slice backhand, intelligently countering with his feet more than his racquet. Overall, Berrettini hit 210 forehands from the back of the court and just 127 backhands, with many of them struck with severe backspin, crossing the net like a frozen rope. They bounced low, staying below Zverev’s strike zone, making them almost impossible to attack. Berrettini loves this backhand slice, as his opponent typically has to play defence off of it, and the slower ball that returns allows him ample time to feast on run-around forehands in the Ad court.

With Zverev serving at 1-2, 40/30, Berrettini hit one of his signature laser-beam backspin crosscourt backhands that Zverev boldly tried to attack with an inside-in forehand down the line. The heavy backspin dragged his low, offensive forehand straight into the net. It was a risky play for Zverev that didn’t pay off, also giving Berrettini confidence that this specific shot would be a valuable asset as he tried to close out the match.

Berrettini went to the backhand slice a few points later with Zverev serving at Ad/40. The German saw it coming early and quickly moved forward in the Ad court to make sure that it would not get too low on him again. The pressure of moving forward also served to shrink the target area for Berrettini. If the backhand landed short, Zverev would already be there for it. The Italian was forced to try to attempt to hit it deeper, pressuring the error in the net.

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This same dynamic happened on the very next point, which was the opening point of Berrettini’s service game at 2-2. Zverev saw the backhand slice coming and quickly scurried forward towards the baseline to make sure it would not get too low. Berrettini saw Zverev improve his court position and changed direction down the line at the last minute and missed it badly in the alley.

It was the kind of miss that shakes your confidence. It’s amazing to think Zverev took away a strength of Berrettini’s game by simply improving his court position, moving closer to the baseline.

Berrettini went to his lethal slice again at 15/15, and Zverev quickly moved forward to take it early, this time hitting a high percentage forehand approach back behind Berrettini to the Italian’s backhand. The ensuing lob from the eighth seed went long. With the backhand slice quickly moving from an asset to a liability in this critical juncture of the match, Berrettini then tried to do more with his forehand and two wild errors followed on the next two points to gift the break.

Berrettini struck a lonely pose post-match as he sat on his chair shaking his head wondering how he got so close to victory but couldn’t finish. You can give all the credit to Zverev and his awareness to counter the backhand slice by moving up inside the baseline to take the low ball as high as possible before it became unplayable.

Victory was snatched from the jaws of defeat by Zverev’s court position and tactical counter-moves as much as anything else.

Berrettini climbs into contention with big Madrid run
Alexander Zverev enjoyed a tremendous week at the Mutua Madrid Open, where he defeated Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem and Matteo Berrettini to lift his second trophy at the Caja Magica. But not only does the German depart the Spanish capital with a trophy, he is in the thick of the battle in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin, which will determine the eight competitors at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin from 14-21 November.

Zverev arrived in Madrid eighth in the Race, but he has soared into fifth, hot on the heels of third-placed Novak Djokovic and fourth-placed Daniil Medvedev. Zverev now trails Djokovic by only 250 points, and he is within 150 points of Medvedev leading into the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

FedEx ATP Race To Turin Standings

Player Points
1. Stefanos Tsitsipas 2,930
2. Andrey Rublev 2,580
3. Novak Djokovic 2,320
4. Daniil Medvedev 2,220
5. Alexander Zverev 2,070
6. Aslan Karatsev 1,595
7. Hubert Hurkacz 1,450
8. Matteo Berrettini 1,355
9. Jannik Sinner 1,265
10. Rafael Nadal 1,220
“I just won a Masters. It's my fourth one. I'm happy with that. That's for me one of the most important things right now,” Zverev said. “Obviously I want to be happy for about 30 seconds, then obviously Rome is next. There [are] still big tournaments coming up.”

The 2018 Nitto ATP Finals champion is trying to qualify for the season finale for the fifth consecutive year. The player Zverev beat in the Madrid final, Berrettini, has also clawed his way into contention.

The Italian No. 1 is now in eighth place in the Race, 90 points clear of countryman Jannik Sinner, who reached the Miami final earlier this year. Berrettini qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time in 2019.

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Earlier in the year, the Rome native struggled with an abdominal injury. But after winning a title in Belgrade and making his impressive run to the Madrid final, Berrettini has put himself in a good position in the Race, and he is focussed on continuing to improve.

“Obviously everybody looks at the Race, but it's too soon now,” Berrettini said. “The most important thing is to be healthy. Once I'm healthy, I can reach my best level. I think this week just showed that I can play [at] this level.”

View FedEx ATP Race To Turin Standings

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who lost against Casper Ruud in the third round at the Caja Magica, still leads the Race with 2,930 points. Andrey Rublev, who also fell in the third round, remains second with 2,580 points.

One of the week’s biggest climbers was semi-finalist Dominic Thiem, who soared 34 places to 22nd after his first tournament since Dubai. The Austrian star has made the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals in each of the past two seasons.

Po triumfie w turnieju w Madrycie Alexander Zverev podkreślił, że nie będzie wyjątkowo celebrował tego sukcesu, bo już myśli o nadchodzących wyzwaniach. - Będę się tym cieszył przez jakieś 30 sekund, bo czekają kolejne wielkie imprezy - powiedział.
Marcin Motyka
Marcin Motyka
10 Maja 2021, 07:10

Alexander Zverev, mistrz Mutua Madrid Open 2021
PAP/EPA / CHEMA MOYA / Na zdjęciu: Alexander Zverev, mistrz Mutua Madrid Open 2021



Kamil Majchrzak wykorzystał szansę w Rzymie. Dwóch Polaków zagra w turnieju głównym
Alexander Zverev ma za sobą znakomity tydzień. W turnieju ATP Masters 1000 w Madrycie Niemiec pokonał m.in. Rafaela Nadala oraz Dominika Thiema, a w niedzielnym finale wygrał 6:7(8), 6:4, 6:3 z Matteo Berrettinim i zdobył bardzo znaczący tytuł.
- To był dla mnie wspaniały tydzień. Matteo był dla mnie niezwykle trudnym przeciwnikiem. Podczas całego turnieju nie rywalizowałem z kimś grającym jak on - powiedział podczas konferencji prasowej, cytowany przez puntodebreak.com.



- Matteo serwował z prędkością 230 km/h - kontynuował. - Mecze przeciwko Rafie i Dominikowi były inne. Oni są prawdopodobnie najlepszymi w tej chwili tenisistami na mączce, ale z Berrettinim bardzo trudno było mi wprowadzić piłkę do gry i uderzać odpowiednio głęboko, by zdobywać punkty. Musiałem też odrobić stratę seta, więc jestem naprawdę szczęśliwy, że to zrobiłem.

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ZAMKNIJ
Dla Zvereva to czwarty w karierze tytuł rangi Masters 1000, a drugi wywalczony w Madrycie (poprzednio w stolicy Hiszpanii zwyciężył w 2018 roku). Podkreślił, że nie będzie mocno celebrował tego sukcesu, bo już myśli o kolejnych wyzwaniach.

- Wygrałem swój czwarty tytuł Masters i jestem z tego zadowolony. Będę się tym cieszył przez jakieś 30 sekund, bo zbliża się turniej w Rzymie. A potem czekają kolejne wielkie imprezy - stwierdził.


- Ten triumf jest niezwykle ważny. Musisz mieć dobre wyniki na mączce, aby potem dobrze sobie poradzić w Rolandzie Garrosie. Teraz nie mogę doczekać się następnych tygodni i tego, co nadejdzie - dodał.