Zverev wins fifth title of the year in Vienna – DW – 10/31/2021

The 24-year-old German continued a strong year of results that included an Olympic title, but also saw him face domestic abuse claims. He put it all aside on the court to claim victory in Vienna on Sunday.

Alexander Zverev matched his best year yet by winning his fifth title of 2021 at the Vienna Open ATP World Tour 500 series on Sunday. He defeated the American Frances Tiafoe in straight sets 7-5, 6-4 to match his 2017 record of five titles in a calendar year.

“He didn’t let me play the way I wanted to play, tactically he was very good,” Zverev was reported as saying on the ATP website. “But I am happy with the win and I am happy with my fifth title of the year and I am happy with my first in Vienna, so it was a good day.”

The 24-year-old won the Olympic Gold Medal in Tokyo in August before taking the ATP Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati ahead of the US Open, where the influential Slate Magazine published allegations of domestic abuse by his ex-girlfriend Olga Sharypova.

Zverev has strongly and consistently denied the allegations and brought an injunction against the publisher and the article’s author, while the ATP are conducting an internal investigation which Zverev has publicly welcomed.

But in Vienna this past week, Zverev established that he was looking to move beyond the allegations, with public displays of affection to his new girlfriend, Sophia Thomalla, 32. The couple were first seen together in Indian Wells earlier this month.

Sophia Thomalla kisses Alexander Zverez after his semifinal winImage: Georg Hochmuth/APA/AFP/Getty Images

The German had won his 300th tour-level game while reaching the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory against Australia’s Alex de Minaur.

Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime also pushed him into a three sets game for their last eight encounter where Zverev won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 before trouncing Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinal. He celebrated his win in the final by kissing Thomalla in the stands to loud applause from the audience.

Zverev has won five titles in 2021Image: Lisi Niesner/REUTERS

Sunday’s game against Tiafoe was expected to be tough. The American had fought back from a set down to win his semifinal against Italy’s Jannik Sinner. The 23-year-old, who had won only one tour title back in 2018, exchanged early breaks against Zverev who won the first set 7-5.

Zverev was more comfortable in the second set where he produced eight aces, while he had break points against Tiafoe in the second and sixth games before finally making one count in the 10th game. He then held to love to seal the victory 6-4.

He is now behind only Boris Becker as the German man with the most titles, with 18 all-time victories on the tour.