For the people who have watched him break through in 2017, it wasn’t much of a surprise when Alexander Zverev shocked second seed Roger Federer in straight sets to win the Rogers Cup in Montreal, his fifth title of the season.
The 20-year-old German used his booming serve to overpower Federer 6-3, 6-4 Sunday as the 19-time Grand Slam winner never got a chance to get into the match. Zverev blasted six aces, won 80% of first serve points and needed just 68 minutes to dominate the 19-time Grand Slam winner.
This was only Federer’s third loss this season – and first in a final – ending his longest win match streak in five years at 16. He dropped to 5-1 in finals in 2017 and 35-3 in the season.
10 wins in a row ☑️
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 13, 2017
5 titles in 2017 ☑️
Alexander Zverev defeats Roger Federer to become the youngest #CoupeRogers winner in 10 years! pic.twitter.com/aTYxYhT2sY
But the bigger story was Zverev’s incredible run in 2017, topping the trophy charts with Federer. From beating Federer twice – the first being Hopman Cup in January – to beating Novak Djokovic to win his first Masters title in Rome. He is now ranked a career-high seventh, heading into the next tournament with a chance to make it three in a row.
Here’s some number-crunching to see just how prolific the 20-year-old has been in 2017.
- Zverev is now tied with Federer for the most titles in 2017 with five each. In addition to Montreal, he has won titles in Rome, Marseille, Munich and in Washington.
- This was the German’s second consecutive title after winning the Citi Open in Washington last week.
- Zverev is the youngest Rogers Cup champion since Novak Djokovic in 2007. He is also the first German winner in over 30 years, since Boris Becker’s win at Toronto in 1986.
At 20y 3m Sascha Zverev reached multiple finals on clay(3), grass(2), indoor hard(2), outdoor hard(2).
— Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) August 13, 2017
None of Big Four did it by that age.
- This is Zverev’s second Masters 1000 trophy, adding to his maiden title in Rome in May where he beat Djokovic in the final.
- Zverev became the first player in 10 years to win multiple Masters 1000 titles in a season other than the Big Four of Federer, Rafael Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray. The last one? David Nalbandian in 2007.
- Zverev is only the second active player other than the Big Four to win more than one Masters 1000 trophy after Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.