Reaching ATP Finals like winning tournament: Zverev

MILAN — Germany’s Alexander Zverev says he has only played one really bad match during a sensational season.

Unfortunately it came at the U.S. Open where the 20-year-old was being widely-tipped as a potential champion. That defeat by Next Gen player Borna Coric of Croatia was a jolt, but with five of his six ATP titles arriving this season it is easier to look at the positives as he sets his sights on his debut at the ATP Finals in London next week. “Playing in the ATP Tour Finals is like winning a tournament already,” Zverev told reporters after playing an exhibition at the Next Gen Finals this week in Milan, having pulled out to concentrate his efforts on London.

“Qualifying for London shows that you have been playing at a top-10 level the whole year.”

Zverev, who has his older brother Micha for company in the higher echelons of men’s tennis, will be in the same group as 19-times grand slam champion Roger Federer next week.

He will open against Wimbledon runner-up Marin Cilic. “It’s an honour to play there in London, it’s my first time and hopefully not my last and I will try to prepare myself as well as I can and try to win many matches there,” he said.

“It’s completely different because you play one of the top eight in the first match, so that’s something very special and you have to play your best from the early rounds. —