Alcaraz falls! Can Anyone Stop Alexander Zverev’s Late-Season Momentum at the Nitto ATP Finals?

Alexander Zverev continued his impressive run on Friday, extending his winning streak to eight matches with a 7-6(5), 6-4 victory over Carlos Alcaraz in Turin.

This marked their first encounter since Zverev’s heart-wrenching five-set loss to Alcaraz in the Roland Garros final. With this triumph, Zverev secured his place as the No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings for the year.

“I’m thrilled to have gotten this win considering how many times he’s beaten me in crucial matches this year,” Zverev said after the match.

“We have developed a strong rivalry along with a great friendship, so it’s always a pleasure to face him on the court… He’s an incredible player and I look forward to our future matches.”

Zverev’s victory ensured his first-place finish in the John Newcombe Group, setting up a semi-final showdown against fifth-seed Taylor Fritz.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, found himself on the edge of elimination from the prestigious event, though he still has a chance to advance depending on the outcome of Andrey Rublev’s match against Casper Ruud.

Reflecting on his performance, Zverev stated, “I’ve played three fantastic matches and I’m pleased to finish 3-0 in the group, but the semi-final will be tough. [Taylor] has beaten me in the last few Grand Slams, so I’m looking forward to that challenge.”

Despite winning in straight sets, Zverev could have delivered a more dominant performance. He created seven break points in the first set but failed to convert any of them.

However, his focus remained sharp during the tie-break, where his powerful shot-making proved decisive. Alcaraz had a few impressive moments, including a standout forehand pass and a daring lob, but a costly backhand error allowed Zverev to secure the set and his spot in the semi-finals.

In the second set, Zverev quickly seized the initiative, breaking Alcaraz right out of the gate. Although Alcaraz earned his first break points of the match while trailing 2-4, Zverev’s resilience held strong, and he closed out the match without facing further challenges.

Zverev, a two-time champion of the Nitto ATP Finals, recorded nine aces and won an impressive 73 percent of points on his first serve against Alcaraz, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Remarkably, he hasn’t lost serve in his last four matches, dating back to his Rolex Paris Masters final victory over Ugo Humbert.

Now with a Tour-leading 69 victories in 2024, Zverev has one more win than World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, marking the most wins in a single season since Andy Murray achieved 78 in 2016, the year he clinched the Nitto ATP Finals title and ended the season as ATP Year-End No. 1.

With this year’s victory over Alcaraz in the group stage, Zverev now holds a 6-5 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.