Zverev downs Djokovic, will meet Medvedev for title

Alexander Zverev practices his serve
during last month's BNP Paribas Open
in Indian Wells. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Almost four months ago, Alexander Zverev ended Novak Djokovic's bid for a Golden Slam.

   Today, Zverev denied Djokovic a chance to tie Roger Federer with six ATP Finals titles.

   The third-seeded Zverev beat the top-seeded Djokovic 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 in the semifinals of the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. Zverev, who saved a set point in the first set, also defeated Djokovic in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics en route to the gold medal.

   Zverev, the 2018 ATP Finals champion, is scheduled to face second seed and defending champion Daniil Medvedev on Sunday at 8 a.m. PST (Tennis Channel) in a matchup of 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) veterans. Medvedev dispatched No. 8 seed Casper Ruud, a semifinalist in the 2018 Fairfield (Calif.) Challenger at 19 years old, 6-4, 6-2.

   Medvedev is 6-5 with five consecutive victories against Zverev, including a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6) decision in round-robin play this week.

   In Sunday's doubles final, second-seeded Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury are set to play third-seeded Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut at 5:30 a.m. (Tennis Channel).

   Ram and Salisbury beat top-seeded Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic 4-6 7-6 (3) [10-4]. Herbert and Mahut, the 2019 champions, dismissed fourth-seeded Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 6-4.

   Ram won the doubles title in San Jose, Calif., on the ATP Tour in 2011 with former Stanford star Scott Lipsky, who retired in 2018. Salisbury took the doubles crown in the 2017 Stockton (Calif.) Challenger with Brydan Klein.

   Granollers, a 35-year-old Spaniard, advanced to the singles final in the 2018 Tiburon (Calif.) Challenger, losing to then-20-year-old Michael Mmoh.