ALEXANDER Zverev has finally toppled nemesis Stefanos Tsitsipas to claim the Abierto Mexicano title in Acapulco yesterday. The top two seeds reached the final of the event, and the number one seed in Greek talent Tsitsipas held a 5-1 record against the German. It had been three years since Zverev triumphed in a match over Tsitsipas – the first time the pair had met – with the results getting more and more one-sided in favour of the the Greek.

In this match however, it was Zverev who emerged triumphant, albeit in a tight contest, winning 6-4 7-6, and the second set tiebreaker going 7-3 in his favour. Unsurprisingly Zverev’s serve was still inconsistent, serving eight double faults for only four aces, and having an efficiency of 60 per cent. Tsitsipas had four and three in favour of double faults, but a higher efficiency of 65 per cent. In saying that though, Zverev did capitalise off his first serve, winning 78 per cent of his points to Tsitsipas’ 62 per cent, then broke three times to two, having created four more break point opportunities in the two-hour and 18-minute match.

“I’ve always said that this is definitely a tournament that I wanted to win in my career,” Zverev said post-match. “I have a very strong relationship with Mexico and with this tournament. I came here with a goal and I achieved it, and I’m very happy with that.”

Tsitsipas had an early break in the first set, and even brought up a set point in the twelfth game of the second set to try and level the scores. The German managed to hold firm though and hold his serve well. The Greek led by as much as 4-1 in the first set and had three chances to go 5-1 up, but then Zverev won the next five games in style to claim the opening set and show what he was made of.

“In the beginning I started off extremely bad, I thought I didn’t play well at all,” Zverev said. “I had to fight my way into the match, and I did well to win the first set. In the second set, when I have a chance I need to close it out against these top players because normally they won’t give you a second chance. I thought I played extremely well in the tie-break, I’m happy with how it went.”

Tsitsipas himself had to fight back from six of his 12 break points faced in the eleventh game of the second set, then turned it around to hold a set point in that twelfth game, but could not capitalise, with Zverev needing three match points to finally seal the deal, and the ATP 500 title.

“I take this week very positively,” Tsitsipas said post-match. “I think it is great being able to play at such an intensity and level. I was very close once again to clinch and get that title, but it wasn’t meant to be… I played well.”

Both players will now eye off the Miami Open ATP 1000 tournament which kicks off tonight.

ABIERTO MEXICANO FINAL RESULT:

[2] Alexander Zverev (GER) defeated [1] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 6-4 7-6

Picture credit: Alfredo Estrella/AFP via Getty Images