Alexander Zverev came of age to beat Roger Federer 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) on Saturday and set up a title decider at the ATP Finals against either Novak Djokovic or Kevin Anderson. The 21-year-old German, leading the charge of the new generation against the old guard, has flattered to deceive on the game's biggest stages but is now just one win away from the biggest title of his career.
Serve dominated the first set of a high-class match at London's O2 Arena, with neither player able to make serious inroads, Zverev sending down howitzers around the 140 miles per hour (225 kilometres per hour) mark. Six-time champion Federer, 37, and third seed Zverev both showed a willingness to get to the net in a match featuring power and guile.
The Swiss veteran eventually faltered in the 12th game of the opening set, watching helplessly as Zverev zipped a magnificent passing shot past him down the line on his way to breaking to love. The second seed regrouped and drew first blood in the second set, breaking in the third game with a thunderous backhand down the line that drew enormous cheers from the partisan crowd.