ATP Geneva: Alexander Zverev saves two MP's vs Jarry to grab the title
Desperate for matches and at least some kind of form ahead of Roland Garros, world no. 5 Alexander Zverev decided to enter the ATP event on clay for the seventh straight week in Geneva. After all kind of problems, the three-time Masters 1000 champion managed to win four matches (15-10 in 2019 before Geneva) and lift the 11th ATP title, the first since the ATP Finals in November. In the rain-delayed final, Zverev ousted Nicolas Jarry 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 in two hours and 35 minutes, saving two match points in the deciding tie break and avoiding another setback in troubled season.
A few weeks ago in Barcelona, Jarry saved a match point to beat Zverev in the deciding tie break, standing one good volley from the same scenario and the first ATP title today before Alexander found the way to cross the finish line first and finally taste success. The top seed won six points more in the end, fending off six out of seven break points and creating 12 break points on the return, converting only one and having to go through ups and downs in the deciding tie break before bringing the encounter home. Zverev made the best possible start, dropping three points behind the initial shot in the opening set and mounting the pressure on the other side of the net.
Jarry was far from that pace, losing serve in game two following a terrible forehand and having to play against seven break points in the rest of the set. He fended them off to stay within one break deficit, settling into a nice rhythm ahead of set number two that started after a hold at love for Zverev in the ninth game of the first set. Nicolas was all over the place with his serve and groundstrokes in the opening set and that all changed in the rest of the match, dropping only eight points behind the initial shot in the second set and opening a 5-2 advantage before the rain sent them off the court for an hour and a half.
Alexander saved three set points in the eighth game when they returned and the Chilean grabbed a set with a hold at love a few minutes later with a service winner, building the momentum ahead of the decider. The final set lasted for some 75 minutes and it went down to the wire after no breaks of serve, with Zverev opening a 5-2m and 6-4 lead in the breaker. Firing one big shot after another, Jarry repelled both match points with winners and created the first match point after a double fault from Alexander, wasting it when his volley failed to cross the net.
Another powerful forehand sent Nicolas 8-7 up but it wasn't to be for him, netting an easy forehand to keep Zverev alive before the German painting a perfect backhand down the line winner for the third match point, converting it when Nicolas' forehand landed long to celebrate the first title in six months.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2YR7TL3
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