Novak Djokovic will look to end a season for ages on a high when he takes on Alexander Zverev in the championship match of the ATP Finals 2018.
The Novak Djokovic v Alexander Zverev 2018 ATP Finals Championship match will be played on Sunday, November 18, at 6:00 pm local time(5:00 pm GMT). Watch the Novak Djokovic v Alexander Zverev live streaming here.
Djokovic v Zverev Head to Head
The World No. 1 is now on the cusp of winning his sixth ATP Finals title – a remarkable feat that only Roger Federer has managed to achieve so far. Standing in his way is the German prodigy Alexander Zverev, who is just one win away from winning the biggest tournament of his career.
The two players are fairly familiar with each other’s’ games, seeing that they met on Wednesday in the group stage at the O2 Arena. The Serbian displayed an imperious form as usual and defeated Sascha 6-4, 6-1 in just 78 minutes. Impressively, he kept his first service win rate at 75% while committing only 13 unforced errors, in contrast to the German’s 67% and 33 respectively.
With that win, Nole now leads his adversary by 2-1. This will be their third encounter of the season, with the first one coming in the semifinal of Shanghai Masters. The top seed won that match comfortably in straight sets.
Sascha’s Incredible Run this Season
Zverev made it to the final in London after defeating none other than Roger Federer in the semis. The 21-year-old outclassed the Swiss maestro in every way imaginable – he had seven aces and maintained his first service win rate at an astounding 88%.
Zverev also saved two out of three break points while successfully capitalizing on the two break opportunities he was provided. It just took him an hour and 37 minutes to win the match 7-5, 7-6(5).
With the exception of his sole defeat to Djokovic in the robin-round, the World No. 5 enjoyed a near-perfect run in London. He won his remaining two matches against Marin Cilic and John Isner without dropping a single set.
It is fair to say that Zverev has played some of the best tennis of his career so far. The youngster has staked his claim to become the World No. 1 in the near future and given his recent form, there is a good possibility that it may happen soon.
He arrived at London with a win-loss record of 54-18 and three singles titles – ATP Munich, Citi Open, and the Madrid Masters. This count could have just as easily been five, had it not been for his runner-up feats at the Rome Masters and Miami Masters.
At the same time, however, he has succumbed cheaply to many players on the circuit in early rounds. Some of his shocking defeats came against the likes of Joao Sousa, Hyeon Chung, Alex De Minuar, and Ernests Gulbis.
Djokovic’s Imperious Form
The Serbian has become one of the few players in the tennis history to reach the final of ATP Finals without losing a single set. He is now aiming to become the first player to lift the Finals trophy without dropping a set in the tournament since Ivan Lendl in 1986.
After topping the group stage with a 3-0 tally, he moved on to face Kevin Anderson in the final four. Once again, it was business as usual for Nole, who defeated his South African adversary 6-2, 6-2, in just 77 minutes.
After an incredible season, Djokovic has once again proven that he is the best player on the circuit right now. He is set to finish the year as the World No. 1 – a feat that many would have thought to be impossible after the Serb’s shaky start to the season.
He went without winning a title for the first six months on the ATP Tour while struggling with form and consistency. He began the year as the World No. 14, dropped down to the 22nd place in June, only to reach the top once again the subsequent months.
He turned his form around at the SW19, when he won the Wimbledon and followed that stunning victory with three consecutive titles – the Cincinnati Masters, US Open, and the Shanghai Masters.
Djokovic v Zverev – Who will win the Season Finale?
On Saturday, Zverev proved that he has what it takes to overcome the experienced players by dispatching Federer in straight sets. Nole is definitely aware of this threat and will be on the lookout for the same.
However, it is also important to note that Djokovic has been absolutely ruthless in London and it is going to be quite difficult for the German to stop him. Needless to mention, he is set to start the match as the favorite. There is a lot at stake here and whatever may be the outcome, we are in for a great match.
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