Zverev regains form in Turin, opening the ATP Finals with a 2-0 victory over Shelton

On November 9, 2025, the ATP Finals began in Turin, Italy. German ace Zverev returned powerfully from injury, beating American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(6) in the opening match of the Bjorn Borg group, securing a winning start. This victory not only placed him at 1-0 in the group but also extended his undefeated record against Shelton, moving him closer to his third ATP Finals title.

Eight days ago, Zverev suffered an ankle injury and a heavy defeat to Jannik Sinner in the Paris Masters semifinals. This match marked his first appearance post-injury. Impressively, the two-time champion showed no signs of being hampered by injury, playing with composure and efficiency to finish the match in 93 minutes without allowing Shelton a single break point. Exploiting Shelton’s weak second serve, Zverev executed precise attacks, winning 76% of second serve returns and converting 16 of 21 second serve opportunities, which proved crucial to his win.

Despite being the underdog, Shelton, making his ATP Finals debut, displayed fierce determination. In the second set, his serve was under pressure multiple times, and at 2-2 he saved two break points, fighting hard to push the set into a tiebreak. Shelton surged ahead 4-0 in the tiebreak and later held two set points at 6-4, just one point away from forcing a deciding set. However, at 6-5, a simple forehand error gave Zverev the chance to steady himself and ultimately claim the tiebreak and the match.

After the match, Zverev praised his opponent: “He is one of the most aggressive players on the tour today. He started the tiebreak incredibly well, that passing shot at 5-4 was unbelievable. All I could do was focus on what I could control, and thankfully I managed that in the crucial moments. I’m very happy with this win.”

This victory extended Zverev’s perfect ATP head-to-head record against Shelton to 5-0, maintaining his complete dominance. In 2025 alone, they have met four times, with Zverev winning each encounter — in the Munich final, Stuttgart semifinal, Cincinnati quarterfinal, and now at the ATP Finals.

As the 2018 London and 2021 Turin champion, the 28-year-old Zverev is confident in this event. One more win could see him advance to the semifinals. Pursuing his third ATP Finals title, a successful campaign would make him the eighth player in history to win this season-ending tournament three times, cementing his legacy in tennis history.

However, with the current dominance of the Sinner-Alcaraz duo, Zverev’s chances are limited. Ideally, he would qualify as the second in his group, then defeat Alcaraz in the semifinals and face Sinner in the final.

Next, Zverev will continue to give his all on the Turin courts, aiming for even greater honors.

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