Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday, July 21, 2024
Arthur Fiss saved 21 of 22 break points to beat defending champion Alexander Zverev on his way to his first ATP 500 title in Hamburg.
Photo credit: TTV
Arthur Viss was on the ropes for much of Sunday’s Hamburg Open final against Alexander Zverev, but the 20-year-old refused to succumb to the extreme pressure the defending champion put on him.
In the end, the efforts paid off in spades, as the 20-year-old Frenchman saved 21 of 22 break points to win 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (1) in a hard-fought match that lasted three hours and 33 minutes.
Fils, who began the week ranked at a career-high No. 28, has persevered and will move into the top 20 in the ATP rankings on Monday, and improved his record against top-10 players to 4-6, matching his career-high in wins in the rankings, denying world No. 4 Fils his 23rd ATP title.
Firth became just the third champion this century to win Hamburg at under 21, after Roger Federer (20, 2002) and Lorenzo Musetti (20, 2022).
“I’m really happy with the three and a half hours I played,” Fils said on court after winning his biggest title of the year, beating Zverev for the first time in three tries.
What? It’s a match.
Arthur Fils beats Zverev to claim the biggest win of his career and his first ATP 500 title! #HamburgOpen pic.twitter.com/BjX3etT3Q5
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 21, 2024
The match was tight and there were some tough moments late in the third set as rain pounded the roof of Centre Court. Fils had a break point at 5-30-40 and tried an underarm serve. The serve was ruled invalid, but Fils saved the break point on his second serve and Zverev sent a backhand return wide.
After saving another break point, Firth pointed to his right ear towards the crowd, drawing boos from the German fans.
A few points later, with the Frenchman holding at 6-5, a frustrated Zverev and Fils got into an argument at the changeover.
A few minutes later, after a perfect tiebreak, Fils won the title.
The post-game handshake was also rather tepid, but that didn’t dampen the Phils’ enthusiasm.
“I think I did everything I could to win the match,” he said. “I was serving and at 5-5 and I got a cramp. I got a cramp and couldn’t serve so I tried to serve underarm. The crowd took it badly. ‘I don’t care, I’m winning, that’s it.'”
The Frenchman seemed keen to make it clear that he bore no grudge against Zverev and the pair ended up appearing to be at ease with each other during the awards ceremony.
“Well done, a great week, you deserve the title, enjoy this moment,” Zverev said.
“Sasha is a really great champion,” Fils said. “He played some incredible tennis at the beginning of the year and reached the final at Roland Garros. I knew from the beginning that he would not be an easy opponent. I did well in the first set, I think I was a bit lucky, but I played great. In the second set he played better than me and raised his level.”
This win proves that Fiss is not just talented, but a good fighter.
Fils hit 39 winners to Zverev’s 24. Despite the relentless pressure, Fils committed 58 unforced errors to Zverev’s 39.
Zverev appeared to be in control when he finally saved his 17th break point of the match in the middle set to go up 4-2.
He carried the momentum into the third set, but Fiss stood tall, saving all five break points he faced in the deciding set.
“When they closed the roof, I knew it was going to be a tough battle,” Fils said. “You just have to fight until the last ball. I think I’ve been training for this kind of tennis for a long time.”
