Zverev proves he is ‘Gen Now’
Washington, Aug. 7: Alexander Zverev issued a warning to top ATP rivals Sunday after winning the Citi Open for his fourth title of the year — he’s not the next generation, he’s the now generation.
The 20-year-old German defeated South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 to capture the $355,460 top prize at the US Open tuneup event on the Washington hardcourts.
World number eight Zverev dropped only nine points on his serve and never faced a break point in becoming the youngest player to win four ATP titles in a year, or take the Washington crown, since Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro did it at 19 in 2008.
“I improved a lot in the last few months to get where I can win tournaments,” Zverev said. “The longer the tournament goes for me the better I’m able to play. Hopefully this can continue to be like that.”
“I’m ‘Next Gen’ but the rankings say it for themselves,” Zverev said. “I think I showed I can play with the big guys this year.
“I think I showed I’m not an ‘in the future’ kind of guy. I’m right now.”
Only Roger Federer with five titles has won more ATP crowns this year than Zverev, and that’s only because the Swiss star handed the German his lone finals loss of 2017 at Halle in June.
In the men’s final, Zverev took the only break of the first set in the third game when Anderson netted a forehand overhead smash. Zverev broke to open the second set and held from there, winning after 69 minutes when Anderson sent a backhand wide.
Russia’s 58th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova prevented a German title sweep by rallying past 40th-ranked Julia Goerges 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-0 for her third career WTA crown.
Makarova hadn't won a title since 2014 in Pattaya City. Her first WTA trophy came at Eastbourne in 2010. Keys bags Stanford title
Los Angeles: Madison Keys looked to be in US Open form early on Sunday at the WTA Tour’s Stanford tournament, beating American compatriot CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 for her third career title.
The 22-year-old Keys was pleased with the win after battling injuries this year which caused her to miss the first two months of the season following wrist surgery.
“It hasn’t been the easiest last couple of months, but this means a lot to me,” said Keys, who earned her first win of 2017.
“It finally feels like I’m on the right track and feeling good about my tennis again. It feels amazing to have a title at home and on hard courts. I’m really, really happy that this is kind of the start of my US Open Series.”
Keys won the first-set tiebreaker with a forehand winner down the line after both players held serve through all 12 games of the set.
Both players continued to serve solidly in the second and Keys finally broke Vandeweghe at 4-4 in the set.
After the only break of the match, Keys wasted no time finishing off Vandeweghe on her serve in the next game. She jumped out front 40-0 then closed out the win with a cross-court forehand winner.