PETE ZIEBRON
Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic played five matches in 2021 with the Serb winning three times. However, it was Zverev that ended the Golden Slam dreams of Djokovic in Tokyo in the Semifinals. Then at the end of the year, the German once again eliminated the world #1 in the semis at the ATP Finals.
Prior to the Olympics, Djokovic won the previous four meetings and held a 6-2 H2H advantage. Currently the series stands at 7-4 but Zverev has made progress against Djokovic.
After dropping the opening set 6-1 in Tokyo, Zverev won twelve of the final sixteen games to advance to the Gold Medal match and ultimately win Gold. Again they would meet in the semis on a grand stage, this time at the US Open where Djokovic was now attempting to hold all four majors in the same calendar year. The Serb won in five sets but had little left for the final and lost to Daniil Medvedev.
Next, yet again in the semifinals of the ATP Finals, Zverev prevailed over Djokovic and would then hoist the Finals hardware to conclude a stellar season.
Djokovic was one set away from the Gold Medal match and was rolling. Still, Zverev played solid tennis despite the lopsided 6-1 scoreline in the opening set. The German continued to serve big, just as he had in the first set, stayed the course with his game plan, and was rewarded with a tremendous victory.
The two men played a total of eighteen sets in 2021. Djokovic won ten and the two split the four tiebreakers that were contested. ONWARD!
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