Zverev’s depth off his forehand and backhand was notable, and I liked the way he varied his court position and pace from one shot to the next. After hitting a looping forehand from well behind the baseline, he would ghost forward and crack his next backhand from five feet farther up in the court.
That backhand is the game-changing shot for Zverev. Unlike, say, Nick Kyrgios, Zverev uses his as a second forehand, as a way to create openings rather than just get the ball back in play. On Sunday, he moved Djokovic wide with his crosscourt backhand, then finished points with the same shot down the line. That’s something most players can only do from the forehand side.
“I just couldn’t find any rhythm,” Djokovic said. Zverev never let him find one.
Serving at 5-4 in the first, Zverev didn’t need to worry about nerves; he hit two aces and a service winner for the set. And he didn’t need to worry about a rally from Djokovic, either. At 1-1 in the second set, Djokovic was broken when he hit a regulation forehand into the net. At match point on his serve, he sent an equally easy backhand sailing over the baseline. He couldn’t even make the Masters final rookie serve it out.
If he had, though, it’s hard to imagine that Zverev wouldn’t have succeeded. He was the better server and returner, and the more aggressive and consistent ground-stroker. In the process, he showed that the combination of his bailout serve, his depth of shot, his ability to hit winners from well behind the baseline and his skill at varying his court position will make him a formidable new force. With this 6-4, 6-3 win, Zverev becomes the youngest Masters 1000 champion since Djokovic did it at 19 in 2007. It also launches him into the Top 10 for the first time.
“If I have half the career that Novak has,” Zverev said afterward, “I’ll be fine.”
The big shots, the tall frame, the throwback hair, the easy smile, the humble words: Zverev, who has spent his life on tour, looks and sounds ready for his star turn.
From the Djokovic side of the net, this match reminded me of Rafael Nadal’s loss to Andy Murray in the 2015 Madrid final. Like Djokovic, Rafa was in a slump at the time, and even his return to clay hadn’t been enough to bring him out of it. He had lost in the semis in Monte Carlo, and in the third round in Barcelona to Fabio Fognini. But Nadal had looked better in Madrid, and it seemed likely that a title there would get him back on track for the French Open.