Alexander Zverev is by far the closest to ensure a smooth transition from this current era to a future one. The 20-year-old German made the top 5 debut earlier this year becoming the leader of the new generation of tennis players. The season of 2017 saw his name rapidly ascending to fame as he managed to win five ATP titles. Moreover, he seems to have succeeded in breaking the monopoly of the Big Four in terms of winning Masters 1000 titles. He has put two under his belt, both successes coming after finals won against Djokovic and Roger Federer.
But, that summer swing took its tool as the young ATP star started to meltdown little by little.
A lot has happened since winning in Montreal against Roger Federer
Alexander Zverev had an extraordinary summer swing on the American outdoor hard courts. He went on to win back-to-back titles in Washington and Montreal, cementing his top 10 presence. At his next event, the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, he lost his first match to Frances Tiafoe.
The 2017 US Open arrived and the level of expectations translated into an unwanted pressure Zverev wasn't able to coop with. As a result, he suffered an early-exit to Borna Coric. The inconsistency and the lack of sharpness didn't go away as he traveled in Asia for another outdoor hard session.
He failed to do any substantial damages in three consecutive events Shenzhen (ATP 250), Beijing (ATP 500) and Shanghai (Masters 10000).
it's a certainty that he has the skill set required to be a dominant figure of men's tennis, all that he lacks is consistency on a daily basis and he can be a ruler of the game without it.
Gilles Simon took Zverev on a tough ride
The second round of the ATP 500 In Vienna had the former ATP top 10 Gilles Simon taking on the young ATP star Zverev. Aged 32, Simon might not in the best place of his career now that he is ranked 74th in the world, but he still can produce some quality tennis. And Zverev had a taste of his solid tennis too.
The opening set went into a tie-break after an exchange of breaks and set point missed by the German. Simon had his chance in the tie-break. Leading 6-5 and preparing to serve twice, he somehow missed both chances. Zverev bounced back and sealed a dramatic first set.
The second act had a similar story. A few more breaks of serve added to the existing drama. Simon managed to get his nose in front with a 4-2 lead. He even had three chances to make it 5-2. Once again, the young blood prevailed with Zverev racing from behind to win four games in a row and secure a spot in the next round where either Damir Dzumhur or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will emerge.
