TURIN (The Thursday Times) — Alexander Zverev ne itwar ko Nitto ATP Finals ka aaghaz debut karne wale Rafael Jodar ke khilaf 6-4, 6-4 ki jeet se kiya aur John McEnroe Group mein ibtidai bartari hasil kar li. World No. 1 ko Inalpi Arena mein 87 minute lage aur woh apni serve par kabhi khatre mein nazar nahin aaye.
Zverev ne bina kisi double fault ke das aces lagaye, 84 fisad pehli serves andar rakhin aur un par 43 mein se 37 points jeete. Unhein do break points ka samna hua, dono pehle set mein, aur dono bacha liye. Is jeet se un ka season record 66-18 ho gaya aur unhein 200 ranking points aur 4 lakh 5 hazar dollar mile.
Serve par khada pehla set
Das ke das aces pehle set mein aaye. Zverev ne sirf ek baar break kiya, jab 18 shots ki rally backhand winner par khatam hui aur score 4-3 hua, phir unhon ne ek point ganwaye baghair serve hold kar ke 5-3 kar diya. 5-4 par set ke liye serve karte hue unhein do break points ka samna hua aur unhon ne dono bacha liye, ek nawan ace aur 137 mil fi ghanta ki serve ke saath, aur phir set 6-4 se jeet liya.
Doosra set bhi isi andaz mein raha. 20 saala Spanish Jodar, jo season ke ikhtitami tournament mein pehli baar khel rahe hain, ne samna hone wale chaar mein se teen break points bachaye, magar Zverev ne ek baar phir break kiya aur apni serve par koi break point nahin ganwaya.
Group abhi khula hai
Do baar ke champion Zverev nawin baar yeh tournament khel rahe hain aur ATP Finals ke teen titles jeetne wale aathwen khiladi banne ki koshish mein hain. Woh Turin mein saal ke ikhtitam par world No. 1 ke taur par mushkil chand hafton ke baad pohanche, jabke Jannik Sinner injury ki wajah se ghair haazir hain. Qura andazi mein unhein Ben Shelton, Arthur Fils aur Jodar ke saath rakha gaya.
Teesre seed Shelton ka itwar ko group ke doosre match mein chhathe seed Fils se muqabla tay tha. Har group ke top do khiladi hafta 21 November ko semi-final mein pohanchenge.
