ATP Finals: Alexander Zverev Beats Carlos Alcaraz, Puts team red 1-0 up

Two times ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev (2018, 2021) started his 2023 campaign with a great 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4 win over World No.2  Carlos Alcaraz on Monday in Turin.

The 27-year-old German, who is competing in his sixth year at the esteemed year-end tournament after winning the title in his two prior appearances in Turin, 2021, and London, 2018, made effective use of his experience against Alcaraz, remaining composed both from the baseline and on serve to advance to 1-0 in Red Group play.

“My serve helped me a lot. Saving the break point in the first game of the second set helped me,” Zverev said. “You don’t want to go down a set and a break against the World No. 2, so I am happy.”

Despite losing a break advantage in the opening set, the World No. 7 did not give up, as his depth and consistency in the second and third sets caused Alcaraz to misfire.

In the two players’ ATP Head2Head series, Zverev is now 4-3 after two hours and thirty-two minutes. After the victory, he recorded his second top five win of the season. Zverev has now won 79% (59/75) of his first-serve points and bounced back from a heavy fall on his left ankle in the third set.

Zverev missed last year’s event due to a right ankle injury he sustained during his 2022 Roland Garros semi-final against Rafael Nadal. He walked gingerly between points in the latter stages of his clash with Alcaraz after falling on his left ankle on Monday, but continued to improve to 13-8 at the Nitto ATP Finals.

“I didn’t twist my ankle. I kind of slipped. There was a pain for a while and I don’t think any damage has been done,” Zverev said on his fall. “I hope not and we will see when it settles down. It is nothing comparable to Paris.”

Victory for Alexander Zverev over Carlos Alcaraz saw the German recorded his 23rd career win over the Spaniard, also putting team red 1-0 up.

Carlos Alcaraz on the other hand, have now lost his first ever match at the ATP Finals event and is now on a losing streak of three consecutive games and will be on the hot seat ahead of his encounter on Wednesday against Andrey Rublev.