ROME: Alexander Zverev signalled his anticipated arrival among the tennis elite by defeating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to win the Italian Open.

Zverev, 20, was on top from the moment that he broke Djokovic in the very first game as he became the youngest winner of a Masters 1000 tournament since the Serb himself in Miami in 2007.

“Playing against Novak, one of the best players to ever play — it was an honour being on the court with you,” said Zverev. “You’re an amazing player. Unfortunately this week you didn’t win, but I’m sure as we get closer to Paris [for the French Open] you’ll

be one of the favourites for the title.”

He controlled play from the back of the court with his fluid two-handed backhand and heavy forehand.

Zverev — who clinched a gutsy 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1 win over big-serving American John Isner on Saturday — broke again in the third game of the second set and clinched the match with another break in the ninth game.

Djokovic, who has wrestled with injuries and lack of confidence since winning the French Open last June, had looked his old dominant self when he beat Dominic Thiem 6-1, 6-0 in Saturday’s semi-final but was unable to recapture that form on Sunday.

“I wish you go on to win many of these titles,” Djokovic told Zverev. “Yesterday I played what I thought was one of the best matches of my life on clay. Today I played something else. But that’s sport.”

Earlier, Elina Svitolina surged to No 1 in the season-long rankings race by beating Simona Halep 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the women’s final.

Svitolina advanced to her maiden Rome final on Saturday when Spanish semi-final opponent Garbine Muguruza, the French Open champion, retired injured as she trailed 4-1 to the big-hitting Ukrainian.

But Svitolina showed she was fully deserving of her spot, overcoming a tough first set against the sixth-seeded Romanian to level the match in a fiercely contested second set.

Halep, who beat Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 7-5, 6-1 on Saturday, needed treatment after going over on her right ankle in the second set as she hit a return from the baseline.

In the decider, the Romanian — who had won 26 of her past 30 meetings on clay — was visibly hurting and was helpless to prevent Svitolina from claiming her fourth title of the season after wins in Taipei, Dubai and Istanbul.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2017