Alexander Zverev successfully leaned on his two biggest money-making weapons on Sunday at the Nitto ATP Finals, where he moved past 20-year-old debutant Rafael Jodar.
In his second match as the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Zverev delivered an unflappable performance to secure a 6-4, 6-4 victory and ignite his quest for a third title at the season-ending championships. The 29-year-old German’s backhand and serve — two shots that have played a crucial role in his rise throughout 2026 — were central to his opening victory inside the Inalpi Arena, where moved to 1-0 in the John McEnroe Group.
Jodar fought off two break points in his third service game, but struggled to contain Zverev once the top seed settled into his precise tactical approach. With a break point at 3-3, Zverev moved Jodar from corner to corner before stepping forward and unleashing a superb backhand winner down the line to convert his third opportunity.
Despite finding himself under pressure when serving for the opening set at 5-4, Zverev was able to rely on another weapon that has been instrumental in his two-major-title-winning 2026 campaign. Facing 15/40, the top seed responded with an ace, an unreturned serve, another ace and a second unreturned serve to claim the first set and take control of the match.
Zverev landed 88 per cent of his first serves in the opening set and did not register a double fault, according to Infosys ATP Stats. In the second set, Jodar produced glimpses of the fearless tennis that has fuelled his own breakthrough, but the Spaniard could not prevent Zverev from taking command. The World No. 1 added even more power to his forehand in the second set, using it to strengthen his advantage and move 2-0 ahead in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against the Spaniard.
Despite having claimed major titles at Roland Garros and the US Open, alongside a Tour-leading 66 victories in 2026, Zverev was quick to recognise the quality of his fellow John McEnroe Group competitors in their pre-tournament press conference. Having dealt with Jodar in his opener, the top seed will now turn his attention to a Tuesday showdown against Ben Shelton or Arthur Fils.
