Zverev takes command in Rome

Uncompromising from the outset, Alexander Zverev took the first act of the Rome Masters 1000 final in all seriousness. Faced with a valiant Nicolas Jarry, who was far too brittle in the exchanges, the world No. 5 logically took the lead (6-4 in 42 minutes).

Making the break at the best of times (5-4), the German relied on a fiery serve (4 aces, 90% first serve) and an insane solidity in the exchange (7 winners, 1 unforced error) to subdue a Chilean who was simply not good enough (9 winners, 4 unforced errors, 2 aces).

For his part, Jarry will have to do much better. Faced with such a committed Zverev, he'll need to get through a lot of first serves and demonstrate near-perfect efficiency if he's to win on Italian soil.