Zverev confident as hardcourt season goes on
Alexander Zverev weathered storms and late-night matches all week before raising a crystal clear trophy Sunday.
Zverev beat Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 to take the Citi Open men’s singles title at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Though it was Zverev who would leave with the hardware, both players had positive takeaways as the U.S. Open approaches later this month.
At 20, Zverev became the youngest Citi Open champion and the youngest to win four titles in a season since Juan Martín del Potro did the same in 2008.
Zverev, ranked No. 8 in the world, has won twice on hardcourts, but with both titles coming indoors. The Citi Open, part of the tour’s 500 series, was his fourth title since February and his fifth overall.
“This is the biggest hardcourt title that I have so far,” the German said. “It’s obviously great. They say this was the strongest player field they ever had. ... To be the winner in this event is special.”
While the win eluded him, Anderson found positives as he returned to the hardcourt.
“Outside of a couple movement patterns, the kind of tennis I was looking to play really doesn’t change that much,” he said. “I feel comfortable on the hardcourts.”
Comfort was key for Anderson, who has been riddled with injuries since 2016. In January, the South African dropped to 80th in the world. He has since climbed to No. 45 and noted that his run in the Citi Open would help ahead of the U.S. Open.
“It just obviously helps with the ranking and points. I’m definitely trying to build up my rank- ing, so I’m sure I’ll go up a few spots this week. On the broader scheme, it’s a great start to the summer,” he said.
“With the way I was playing and making finals here, I think it was sort of validation. A lot of things I was working on, I can see that I’m on the right path.”
In 2015, Anderson had his deepest run in the U.S. Open, making it to the quarterfinals before falling to Stan Wawrinka. Both Wawrinka, the 2016 U.S. Open champion, and 12-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic announced last month that they planned to shut down their seasons early because of injuries.
The absences of two of the topfive players in the world will certainly shuffle the draw of the U.S. Open, which could benefit young players, dubbed Next Gen by the tour.
Zverev tries to ignore that chatter.
“I try not to read too much in the media, who they think I might become or who top players think I might become,” he said. “I think the rankings say it for themselves. I’m No. 8 in the world right now.”
Zverev was lighthearted after his win. As he addressed the crowd during the trophy presentation, he thanked Marcelo Melo for letting him win in the FIFA video game the previous night. Later he would joke about whether his dog, Lovik, needs to be on social media.
But Zverev knows he needs to focus again soon. He flew to Montreal on Sunday night as he and Anderson will compete in this week’s Rogers Cup. Both acknowledged it would be a quick turn, but Zverev did not believe that was necessarily bad.
“When I won (the International BNL d’Italia) in Rome, it was my fifth week in a row of play, so physically, I think I am fine,” he said. “We’ll see how I play there. But obviously winning here helps with your confidence.”
Zverev dropped just one set on his way to the final, dismantling 2015 champion and second-seeded Kei Nishikori in the semifinals. Now he sets his eyes on a Grand Slam.
“To get far in those kinds of events is obviously my next step and my next goal,” he said.
The U.S. Open begins Aug. 28 in New York.