Alexander Zverev:'David Ferrer is one of the greatest fighters we ever had'
The world no. 4 Alexander Zverev has opened his fourth consecutive Hopman Cup campaign with a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 win over the Spanish veteran David Ferrer who is competing in Perth for the first and last time, retiring in May at Madrid Masters. Their rivalry started four years ago in the semi-final of Hamburg when Zverev was only 17 and the German has won all three encounters in 2018, entering this match as the favorite as well. Despite not having an off-season as he had used to, Ferrer showed his everlasting class against the much younger and better-ranked opponent, fighting for every point like he always did and receiving compliments from Zverev once the match was finished.
Sascha made more damage with his first serve but he struggled once he would have missed it, facing three break points and losing serve twice. Despite giving his best, David won 11 points less than his rival (only four before the deciding tie break) and he repelled three out of five break points he faced to stay in contention until the closing stages of the match. Ferrer saved a break point in the third game to close it after nine minutes but Zverev found the way to forge a break in the fifth game after a volley winner that shifted the momentum to his side of the net. Serving for the set at 5-4, Sascha came back from a 0-30 to win four straight points and secure the opener with a service winner after 49 minutes of solid tennis.
Things looked good for him at the start of the second set as well, placing a backhand winner in the initial game for another break and an open road towards the win in straight sets. Out of sudden, he made a huge forehand error in the following game to give his serve away and boost Ferrer's confidence before the rest of the match. Serving to stay in the set at 4-5, Zverev was broken again after a magnificent running forehand winner from David, certainly one of the points of the entire tournament that ensured the set for the Spanish veteran.
Nothing could separate them in the opening 10 games of the decider and it was Zverev who had the opportunity to draw first blood and move in front after creating a break point in the next game, denied by a perfect forehand attack from Ferrer who survived a tricky game to enter the tie break after a good hold from Sascha in game 12. It was a very competitive match for the first two hours and 24 minutes but there was only one player in the breaker, with the German winning all seven points to cross the finish line first. A backhand down the line winner pushed Zverev 4-0 up and he landed another backhand cross court winner to earn six match points, converting the first after a volley error from David at the net to kick off his 2019 Hopman Cup campaign with a win over the great rival whom he respects a lot.
"All the credit to David, coming back from a set down and break down," Zverev said. "He is the greatest fighter, maybe, that we have ever seen in tennis. What he has done in tennis over the past 15 or 20 years has been absolutely amazing."
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2AmKS8S
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