Federer bows out after losing to Alexander in an error- hit match
the best serving in his career, he said: “Possibly. It is not very common to serve more aces than Kevin ( six to four). That stat helps the confidence.”
The 14- time Grand Slam champion has only lost two matches since July as he makes up for lost time following elbow surgery and poor form earlier in the season.
Ball boy blunder
The end of the FedererZverev match was overshadowed by an unusual incident, Zverev stopping a rally with Federer leading 4- 3 in the second- set tie- break after a ball boy dropped a ball.
Zverev won the replayed point with an nudged into a before Federer netted with forehand volley ace and 5- 4 lead inexplicably a simple to hand the German two match points, the second of which he took on his own serve.
On- court interviewer Annabel Croft told the proFederer O2 crowd to be “more respectful” after they showered him with boos, as Zverev had been playing by the rules.
“Obviously the crowd didn’t appreciate it, which I was a little bit upset — not upset, but I was a little bit sad at the end with the booing and reaction of the crowd,” said Zverev.
“Maybe they didn’t know what actually happened. That was maybe part of the reaction. But, you know, at the end of the day I said sorry to Roger at the net. He said ‘ Look, you don’t even have to apologise’.”
Serve dominated the first set of a high- class match but the Swiss, a six- time champion at the Finals, eventually faltered in the 12th game.
The second seed regrouped and drew first blood in the second set, breaking in the third game with a thunderous backhand down the line that drew enormous cheers from the partisan crowd.
But the frustrated 20time Grand Slam winner could not consolidate his position, losing the next game as Zverev levelled at 2- 2. The eventual tie- break went with serve until the 10th point, when Federer netted to hand Zverev a mini- break — an advantage he did not squander.
— AFP