TURIN, Italy: World number one Alexander Zverev cruised through his opening match at the season-ending ATP Finals on Sunday defeating Spanish debutant Rafael Jodar 6-4, 6-4.
Zverev, who won the tournament in 2018 and 2021, needed just one hour and 27 minutes to overcome the season's breakout star.
Ranked 11th in the world the 20-year-old Jodar is making his debut at the elite eight-player tournament.
Zverev had been eliminated in his opening match at the Paris Masters — the final Masters 1000 event of the year — and endured a lacklustre autumn as he blamed mental and physical exhaustion.
However, with 10 aces and a strong return of serve he stifled Jodar, who dropped his serve in the seventh game of the first set and again in the third game of the second.
"It wasn't the perfect match, but I'm happy; it's a great start to the tournament for me," Zverev said.
In the round robin stage, the German is also set to face American Ben Shelton and Frenchman Arthur Fils who were scheduled to play each other later on Sunday.
Zverev secured the world number one ranking in early November after winning his first two Grand Slam titles in 2026, but the 29-year-old is not necessarily the favourite in Turin.
Italy's Jannik Sinner won the last two editions of the Finals but he has not played since winning Wimbledon in July due to a knee injury.
Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, ranked third in the world, who plays American Frances Tiafoe on Monday, is considered the favourite following his comeback from a wrist injury with three wins in five tournaments — Tokyo, Vienna and the Paris Masters.
— AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
