Alexander Zverev picks up first win as World No.1 as Rafael Jodar given brutal introduction to ATP Finals

The 2026 ATP Finals have begun, and it is only fitting that the World No.1 Alexander Zverev has commenced proceedings with his first win as the highest ranked player in the world. A serving masterclass matched with a clinical edge allowed him to see off Rafael Jodar 6-4, 6-4 in under an hour and a half.

It was crucial for both players to get off to a fast start with the very competitive nature of their group and the format putting them under a lot of pressure from the off. Zverev had a lot of attention on him going into this event and has produced a brilliant performance as he searches for a third ATP Finals crown.

Zverev’s service stats were ridiculous at times. In the first set, he fired in 10 aces in five games while finding 23 from 26 first serves, winning 83% of them. While he did not find any more aces in the contest, he dropped just 10 points on serve in the entire match and created seven break points, converting two of them, which turned out to be enough on this occasion.

As for Jodar, he was already having an unprecedented season. Climbing into the top 10, the 20-year-old was at university this time last year but has undergone one of the most sudden and incredible rises on the ATP Tour, finding himself competing among the elite with it culminating in Turin.

His debut would not end with a victory, but there will be plenty of time to turn it around with Ben Shelton and Arthur Fils, the other two competitors in the John McEnroe Group. He tried his hardest, but only two break points were formed against the Zverev serve. That was met with an emphatic response at the end of the first set as Zverev continued to pester him with mixed success. One break of serve in the second set proved to be enough, as he gets a first win under his belt.

Jodar settled in from the off, not fazed by the occasion, as he looked to make an early dent in Zverev. He got in his rhythm with an early hold of serve, but he would not be able to trouble his opponent against the serve.

The first break points came in the fifth game as Jodar was pinned against the wall. He kept his cool and rebuffed the efforts. Zverev would not rue these mistakes, creating a third break point two games later and clinically converting this time round.

He backed it up with a hold to love, and looked impenetrable on serve. Jodar forced him to see it out on his own terms and then asked the question with two break points created. Zverev found three of his biggest first serves to create a set point as the momentum quickly switched sides of the court. He took the first set point and was in command.

It would get better for the World No.1. In the third game of the second set, Jodar looked likely to continue the holds of serve trend when 40-15 up. He would go on to lose the next four points, with a touch of fortune on the final point, as Zverev broke the serve to solidify his advantage.

Another chance to extend his lead came in the seventh game, with Jodar really under the cosh. Two break points were successfully defended, but the first double fault of the match unearthed another golden opportunity for the 29-year-old. That was also not taken, and Jodar soldiered on.

The contrasting service games were evident. It took Jodar a while to get that prior game on the board. Four points later, Zverev replicated that with just five swings of his racket. The serving masterclass brought him within one of the match. He got it done two games later and outlines his title credentials in some style.