Three-time Masters 1000 champion Alexander Zverev beat Rafael Nadal for the second time in seven their-to-head matches with a 6-4 7-5 win after 1 hour and 39 minutes to reach the final of the Paris Rolex Masters in Paris Bercy for the first time in his career. Zverev dropped his serve once and broke serve three times to set up a final against Danil Medvedev, who beat Milos Raonic in straight sets.
Zverev sealed the opening set with his only break in the third game at love to open up a 3-1 and held his five service games.
Nadal held with with a service winner in the first game before Zverev hit an ace to draw level to 1-1. Zverev earned a break at love in the third game to take a 2-1 lead after forcing an error from Nadal. Zverev hit an unreturned serve to open up a 3-1 lead.
Nadal held serve in the fifth game with an unreturnd serve for 2-3. Zverev held at love with a forehand winner. Nadal hit a backhand down the line winner to hold serve in the seventh game. Zverev hit an ace to open up a 5-3 lead forcing Nadal to serve to stay in the set. Nadal held serve at 15 in the ninth game for 4-5 before Zverev sealed the first set 6-4 with a hold at 15 with a drop shot winner after 38 minutes.
Nadal held serve in the first game of the second set with an ace. Zverev hit another ace to draw level to 1-1. Nadal wasted a game point after a forehand error to face a break point. Zverev went up a set and a break in the third game, whne Nadal hit his volley into the net.
Zverev held at 15 in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead. The 2020 US Open finalist earned a break point with a smash winner in the fifth game, but he was not able to convert it. Nadal managed to hold serve with a service winner before earning his first two break points in the sixth game, but Zverev saved them with a service winner to open up a 4-2.
Zverev earned four break points in the seventh game, but Nadal saved them before holding serve after forcing an error from Zverev.
Nadal drew level to 4-4 with a hold of serve, as Zverev hit his first double fault at 4-3 30-30 and missed a crosscourt forehand passing shot wide.
Nadal held at love for the first time in the ninth game. Zverev hit an ace to hold his serve before earning a break point in the next game after a lucky net cord winner. Zverev broke serve in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead, when Nadal missed a crosscourt backhand. Zverev sealed the win 7-5 on his second match point to reach his third consecutive ATP Tour final. Nadal now leads 5-2 in his seven head-to-head matches against Zverev.
Zverev became the first German player to reach the Paris Bercy final in 25 years. The Hamburg native player has improved his winning streak to 12 consecutive matches after his two back-to-back titles in Cologne.
Nadal set up a final against Madvedev. The German leads 5-1 in their previous six head-to-head matches. In their past two clashes in 2019 Medvedev won the Shanghai final and Zverev avenged this defeat beating his Russian rival in the round robin match at the Nitto ATP Finals in London.
Zverev will be bidding to win his fourth Masters 1000 titles after Rome and Montreal in 2017 and Madrid in 2018.
“Against Rafa you have to play clever. He plays his best tennis in the semifinal and in the final. If I want to have a chance against him, I have to reach my best level. Today I managed to da that.
