Alexander Zverev on Sunday won his second Internazionali BNL d’Italia, beating Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 7-5 to claim his biggest title since his horror injury at the French Open two years ago.
World No. 5 Zverev, also Foro Italico champion in 2017, comfortably won his sixth Masters 1000 title in the last major tournament before Roland Garros, which started yesterday.
The 27-year-old succeeded in his 11th Masters final, which equaled Boris Becker’s record for the most by a German since the series began in 1990.
Photo: Reuters
Zverev’s title in the Italian capital seven years ago was the first at this level of his career and Sunday’s was his first since coming back from a horrendous ankle injury sustained in the 2022 French Open semi-finals.
“Rome is a very special place for me,” Zverev said on court. “I said at the beginning of the week that if Rome is the place of firsts for me then I’m extremely happy about it. Obviously a very, very special week. The focus is on Paris right, that’s for sure, but let me enjoy this one for a day or so and then I’ll focus on Paris.”
Zverev comfortably beat Chile’s Jarry — who could not repeat his quarter-final and semi-final heroics against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Tommy Paul in reaching his first Masters final — in 1 hour, 41 minutes.
The German dropped just five points on his serve in a performance that showed a clear gap in class and gave him his first 1000-level title since triumphing in Cincinnati in August 2021.
“My feeling right now is I want to go to Roland Garros and play better because I know I can play better and do good there,” Jarry told reporters. “I’m very motivated. That’s how I am right now.”
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