Alexander Zverev makes it to Rome Open final, ties Boris Becker's Masters record

ATP
Friday, 17 May 2024 at 17:56
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Alexander Zverev is into the final of the Rome Open for a third time after taking down Alejandro Tabilo 1-6, 7-6, 6-2 and ties Boris Becker for 11 Masters 1000 finals respectively after continuing his epic run in the Italian capital.
Zverev was seen as the favourite for the title after many of the top names fell by the wayside including Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas with the German very much adept on clay and used to producing. He is certainly living up to that favourite tag after producing an epic comeback win to defeat the Chilean.
It could've been an all Chilean final which was robbed and could be null and void anyway later with Nicolas Jarry facing Tommy Paul who will take on Zverev in the final on Sunday. It was mainly a test for Zverev due to a poor start as he slumped to a 6-1 early set loss against Tabilo and looked to be on the ropes as Tabilo again was producing utterly stunning tennis.
Tabilo kept pace throughout the whole set and even had a break point chance to make it 4-3 but spurned it as Zverev without a break sent it all the way to a tie-break which he edged 7-4. Tabilo started to fade as Zverev grew as he lost his serve twice on the spin in the final set. Zverev went 2-1 and 4-1 up respectively and did not allow Tabilo a single break point opportunity in the final set. He romped home to victory on his first match point at 6-2. The only games he didn't break started and closed the set.
Zverev will certainly be in the conversation too for Roland Garros. He though will have his trial to contend with for domestic abuse allegations. He will not attend but it will likely dominate the narrative for the German over the coming weeks. He likely will do most of his work this week as a result and will be favourite to seal the title this week no matter who he faces.

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