ATP Cup 2021: Novak Djokovic Beats Alexander Zverev, Spain Advances to Semis

Novak Djokovic kept his perfect record at the ATP Cup alive with a critical three-set defeat of Alexander Zverev on Thursday, winning 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-5. 

The win for the Serbian star, who is a combined 11-0 between singles and doubles matches at the event, evened the score with Germany in a group-stage tie as the two sides vied to earn a spot in the ATP Cup semifinals against Russia.

The semifinal appearance will be determined by a doubles clash between Germany and Serbia Thursday night. 

The 23-year-old Zverev won the tiebreaker 7-3 to take the first set 7-6.

In the second set, Djokovic worked his way back from a 2-1 deficit to win it 6-2 before a decisive and tight third set.

With Djokovic serving for the match, Zverev broke to knot the set at 5-all. But Djokovic broke right back and closed it out at the second time of asking.  

Zverev entered Thursday's match—his seventh clash with Djokovic—following his first-ever ATP Cup victory, a comeback defeat of Canada's Denis Shapovalov on Tuesday that eliminated the nation from contention. 

Shapovalov had faced Djokovic on Monday, where he fell in straight sets.

Though Djokovic held the all-time advantage in the pair's previous meetings (4-2), Zverev's victories came in high-pressure moments. The 23-year-old defeated the legend in finals at the 2017 Italian Open and the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals. 

"I think generally when you play Novak, you have to step up your game, same way when you play Roger [Federer] or Rafa [Nadal]," he said ahead of the match, via Matthew Cooper of the Daily Express. "I really have to go for bigger shots and at some stages also be patient. You have to learn how to manage yourself in a way."  

In the earlier match between the No. 2 singles, an overnight substitution was made as Filip Krajinovic was forced out with a back injury. Dusan Lajovic got the call and fell against Jan-Lennard Struff to give Germany the 1-0 lead against the defending champions.

Struff lost the first set but managed to take control in each of the next two, claiming the 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. 

Elsewhere, Spain clinched its spot in the semifinals in the No. 2 singles match, as Pablo Carreno Busta upended Michail Pervolarakis in straight sets (6-3, 6-4).

The winner was up 5-0 in the first set before Pervolarakis staged a comeback, but Carreno Busta held off the late charge before claiming the second set and the victory. 

Spain just needed one win in its matches on Thursday to earn a semifinal meeting with Italy, which defeated Austria and France to ensure a spot in the next round. 

"I knew that we needed this point. With this victory, we are into the semifinals, so it was very important to us," Carreno Busta said. "I tried to be focused on myself, to try to play my [best] game."

In the No. 1 singles affair, Stefanos Tsitsipas converted the last of four match points to claim a straight-set victory over Roberto Bautista Agut (7-5, 7-5). 

The pair had only met once before, when Tsitsipas defeated the Spaniard in four sets in the quarterfinals at the 2019 Australia Open. 

Group play continues Friday, with Austria and France going at it in a pride match, since both were already eliminated by Italy. The same is true for Argentina and Japan, who are competing after Russia clinched the group victory.