“It was a good battle,” Roger Federer said after his 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-1 win over Alexander Zverev in London on Tuesday. Judging by Federer’s straightforward description, it might sound like the match was a straightforward affair. And judging by the back-and-forth scores, it might sound like exactly the type of struggle, and exactly the type of result, you would expect in a match between a veteran champion making his 15th appearance at the World Tour Finals, and a 20-year-old making his debut.
But the fifth meeting between Federer and Zverev—the Swiss now leads their head to head 3-2—was defined by its surprising moments rather than its expected ones. After playing a strong and solid opening set, and building a quick 4-0 in the tiebreaker, Zverev suddenly lost control of his major weapon, his forehand. Two went long, two went into the net, one went wide, and Federer had escaped with the first set, 8-6 in the breaker.
Yet Federer hadn’t stolen away with it in the expected manner. Through the first 10 games, he had been the more creative and aggressive player, using his slice more often, opening up the court earlier, and aiming his shots closer to the lines than the comparatively conservative Zverev. But when it came down to the crunch in the breaker, Federer—perhaps tactically, perhaps nervously, perhaps a bit of both—dialed back the aggression and let Zverev beat himself.