Young Guns Win Maiden Titles

 

Both Alexander Zverev and Lucas Pouille won the first titles of their careers at ATP 250 level on Sunday afternoon.

Zverev, the 19-year-old German, won his first title after beating recent US Open champion Stan Wawrinka in 3 sets, 6-2 3-6 7-5 at the St Petersburg Open.

Zverev was born in Hamburg, but his parents are of Russian heritage and the youngster is fluent in the language.

He is the youngest player to reach the top 25 since Novak Djokovic, and Wawrinka couldn’t cope with the German’s big serve and aggressive play.

It must be said, however, that Wawrinka looked lethargic and out of sorts after a great run as of late, but Zverev still made his way past three home favourites, in wildcard, Karen Khachenov, qualifier, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Kuznetsov, before a very impressive victory against third seed, Tomas Berdych 6-4 6-4 in the semi final, although Berdych is only returning from appendicitis.

Wawrinka’s route to the final was more complicated, beating tricky opponents like Viktor Troicki, Lukas Rosol and Roberto Bautista Agut, but the World number 3 has played 22 tournaments on the World Tour this Year, the most of anyone in the top 7, and ultimately it showed.

Elsewhere, Lucas Pouille became the latest Frenchman to break the ATP top 20 after beating another rising star, Dominic Thiem. The 22-year-old hard hitter beat Thiem 7-6(5) 6-2 in the final of the Moselle Open in Metz.

Austrian, Dominic Thiem has had an incredible 2016 so far and is on track to make the ATP World Tour Finals in November having played a ridiculous 27 Tournaments this year, and again it showed after Pouille dominated after coming back from 0-3 down in the first set tie-break.

Pouille was the third seed, and wins over compatriots Pierre-Hughes Herbert and Julien Benneteau, and Pouille particularly impressed in the semifinal win over David Goffin, winning 7-6(6) 6-1.

Meanwhile, Dominic Thiem beat Gilles Muller and Gilles Simon to progress to the final.

It was a week to remember for Tunisian veteran, Malek Jaziri, after reaching the quarterfinals, after seventh seed, Benoit Paire was beaten in the first round. Jaziri is up 15 places in the rankings to 55th, two places off his personal best.

Mercurial German, Dustin Brown is up 14 places to a career high 68th, but up 26 places this week is 21-year-old Czech, Adam Pavlasek after winning a Challenger event in Bosnia & Herzegovina which sees him reach a career high position of 80th.

The ATP World Tour reaches Asia next week with two ATP 250 titles on display again, with the Shengzen Open and the Chengzu Open both being played as the warm ups to the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai in a fortnight.