Teen Alexander Zverev Beats Stan Wawrinka’s For First Career ATP Title In St. Petersburg

by Staff | September 26th, 2016, 10:19 am
  • 23 Comments

Teen Alexander Zverev made the St. Petersburg Open his coming-out party on Sunday, beating US Open champion Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 to win his first title of the year.
ADHEREL
He improved to 1-2 in finals this year and for his career.

“I played all the finals well,” the German said. “I lost to Dominic Thiem on clay and I could have won against Florian Mayer on the grass…Now I’m very happy with the win, especially over such a great player like Stan.”

It was the first time in 12 finals that Wawrinka lost a championship match, and ended a 10-match win streak.


“We showed high-quality tennis,” Wawrinka said. “I was struggling in the third set. I had chances but I didn’t manage to convert them. He deserved the win.

“He is a good player right now. He scored a couple of big wins over top players. It means he is really strong.”

After Wawrinka led 3-0 in the decider, Zverev broke at 5-5 in the third before serving it out.

“I tried to neutralize his massive backhand,” Zverev said.

Wawrinka fell to 15-10 in career finals suffering his first defeating in a title match since 2013 Den Bosch.

The 19-year-old Zverev became the first teenage winner on the ATP since 19-year-old Marin Cilic won New Haven in 2008. The German joins other teens to have won titles in recent years including Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Kei Nishikori and Novak Djokovic.


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23 Comments for Teen Alexander Zverev Beats Stan Wawrinka’s For First Career ATP Title In St. Petersburg

RZ Says:

Good week for the younger ATP generation – Zverev with his first title, Pouille with his first title, Thiem with another strong showing.

September 26th, 2016 at 10:39 am


AndyMira Says:

Interesting fact between Sascha and Roger..

1]19 years,5 months old..Sasha won his first ATP title,while Roger at the same age also won his first ATP title in Milan in 2001..

2]They also shared the number of finals[3] before they clinched their first title..

September 26th, 2016 at 12:19 pm


Lloyd Walters Says:

Staff is revealing a rather large blind spot with his or her final paragraph :

“The 19-year-old Zverev became the first teenage winner on the ATP since 19-year-old Marin Cilic won New Haven in 2008. The German joins other teens to have won titles in recent years including Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Kei Nishikori and Novak Djokovic.”

In the four weeks immediately before Cilic’s 2008 New Haven title, Del Potro won his first four titles. He is five days older than Cilic, and took that New Haven week off.

What I see as a remarkable coincidence about these three players, apart from winning their first tournaments when they were just 19 years old, is that they are all 6’6″ tall.

September 26th, 2016 at 1:26 pm


Van Persie Says:

^ he should then win the US Open in the future

September 26th, 2016 at 2:26 pm


jalep Says:

The summer of 2008 was an incredible time for Delpo. And just a year later got his US Open title.

6’6″ is the new average height. I tell ya, they should raise the net one of these days and reconfigure the court dimensions. Reilly Opalka coming up is 7 feet tall. It’s too much; split tennis into at least two height categories. It’s my old song and dance.

There’s definitely a few of them that are more impressive movers than others. Young Delpo, Cilic, and now Zverev are similar like that — the way Zverev uses his reach reminds me of young Delpo. I actually think Zverev might be better with his balance and footwork than any I’ve seen. Zverev is a bit too prone to a tantrum tho. Hope he grows out of that. Medvedev has a cool head and is a young Russian coming along with the same characteristics — also Karen Khachanov but Khachanov isn’t as light on his feet.

September 26th, 2016 at 2:42 pm


chrisford1 Says:

Height considerations and Fed similarities aside..the commonality with top players when they started winning ATP events in their teens is a likely marker of talent that an win on the pro level and doing it as a teen a marker that a lot more is likely afterwards – 1st of many…..
Obviously not ALL teens with an ATP trophy are Hall of Famers or never get close to Top 10 in their careers – but a good sign for Zverev. Each win he gets at this young age should build him in confidence and experience in Finals to reach full form faster.

I just don’t know if any of the young guns will be considered reach the career level of a Big 4 person. As the Big 4 wanes though – get used to looming inevitability you will have to root for someone otherr than them, Stan, Monfils, etc.

September 26th, 2016 at 3:02 pm


J-Kath Says:

Chrisford 1

I’m, counting the years and think we’ve got a chunky 3 to go.

September 26th, 2016 at 4:07 pm


Khb Says:

Hall of Fame’s not what it used to be. Now, law breaker Roddick is being compared to Jim Courier and Michael Chang.
Roddick calls himself a “second level player” beneath Novak and Nadal.
Maybe he needs to watch his “injury time offs”, chokes and fluke Slam.
Those few Masters event runs were unconvincing, to say the least. He even melted down at Masters Cup vs. Fed.
Both Jim & Chang could actually play tennis. Not for mostly money reasons.
They don’t brag about looking for a sponsor at age 10.
Jim & Chang constructed real points, toughed it out in elite clay marathons and beat top 10 opponents for Davis Cup… No Davis Cup captain helped Jim or Chang cheat to win on clay.

September 26th, 2016 at 4:28 pm


chrisford1 Says:

J-Kath, I say Novak and Andy will be vying for #1 the next two years, still winning big events in year #3. Still ahead of the latest chaser pack, and of course Fed and Rafa and likely Stan and Delpo can’t replace the #1 and #2 players.

But change, it is a comin’!!

September 26th, 2016 at 7:27 pm


AndyMira Says:

Hey VP,Dani,WB,Jane and other nole fans..not sure you guys already see this or not..http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/world-tennis-number-one-novak-8917891?

September 27th, 2016 at 1:17 am


Van Persie Says:

Thank you, AM :)
Did not see that

September 27th, 2016 at 1:54 am


Giles Says:

AM. Yeah I saw that incident while I was watching the Exo live. Glad it ended well. Thx.

September 27th, 2016 at 4:39 am


Giles Says:

Can someone please tell joker not to give up his day job! Lol

September 27th, 2016 at 4:40 am


AndyMira Says:

Oh,really Giles?Yeah,happy for the mother..i can imagine if things turned out the opposite..Btw..the exo,is it as much fun as with nole’s exo the other day?

September 27th, 2016 at 8:57 am


Giles Says:

AM. Would you like a link to the Exo?

September 27th, 2016 at 9:46 am


Giles Says:

https://twitter.com/sittanyusha/status/780107215810199553
AM. Here’s the full match if you’re interested.

September 27th, 2016 at 9:54 am


AndyMira Says:

Thank you so much Giles for the link..I certainly will watch it..and to notify Mom Okie to watch it as well..ehem ehem,she’s fooling around Niagara falls atm..he he..

September 27th, 2016 at 11:10 am


Markus Says:

I think Nadal is a genuinely nice guy.

September 27th, 2016 at 11:35 am


AndyMira Says:

Of course Markus..he is..and other big 3 as well..

September 27th, 2016 at 12:14 pm


Khb Says:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5iAqDMf0LWM

Wacko Nadal tickles a boy. Very nice. A little too nice. They say Novak was strange… interesting.

September 27th, 2016 at 1:23 pm


Willow Says:

Its cute, i think hes a cousin ? ….

September 27th, 2016 at 2:08 pm

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