Zverev upsets Djokovic to win first Masters 1000 event

Alexander Zverev has been on a big rise over the past year and finally broke through into an top class with a sweep of Novak Djokovic to win the Italian Open.
For a year now, Alexander Zverev has made his presence felt on the ATP World Tour, but in Rome, the 20-year-old announced himself as a major threat to all who will face him. Zverev had been on the cusp but finally won his first ATP Masters 1000 championship with a stunning sweep of Novak Djokovic in the finals of the Italian Open.
Zverev, who was ranked 17th in the world heading into the tournament, upset the No. 2 ranked Djokovic 6-4, 6-3 and while he won his first ATP Masters 1000 event, he also became the younger player to win one since Djokovic himself won the Miami Open in 2007.
Zverev never faced a break point in the match and lost only one two sets in the entire tournament on the red clay. Zverev rolled through Viktor Troicki and Fabio Fognini in the second and third rounds of the tournament, respectively, but sweeping No. 5 Milos Raonic in straight sets. The 20-year-old was pushed by John Isner in the semifinals but showed his resolve with a dominant to secure his spot in the finals.
Since winning the French Open last June, Djokovic has been battling injuries and has been suffering through what some have called a slump over the past year. He seemed to get everything back on track with his 6-1, 6-0 win over Dominic Thiem in the semifinals, but barely challenged his young German opponent in Rome. Zverev controlled the match from start to finish and earned the victory in one hour and 23 minutes.
Djokovic had been working without a designated coach since parting ways with his entire staff earlier in May. After the loss, Djokovic announced he has hired Andre Agassi has his new mentor.
Corey Johns
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