Arthur Fils upsets Alexander Zverev to win Hamburg Open

NEW DELHI: Arthur Fils of France won the Hamburg Open, defeating hometown favorite Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/1) in a tense three-set final on Sunday.
The victory marks Fils' second ATP title following his win in Lyon last year, solidifying his standing as a prominent next-gen player.
The 20-year-old Fils, currently ranked 28 in the world, triumphed over the German top seed Zverev on Hamburg's clay court after more than three-and-a-half hours of play.
Fils seized an early advantage by capitalizing on a double fault from Zverev, breaking the German's serve in his initial service game.
Despite Zverev's significant height advantage and powerful serve, Fils maintained his composure. He faced a stern test in his third service game but managed to hold off Zverev.
The match saw a brief interruption when Zverev required medical treatment with the score tied at 40-40, and the German trailing 1-4. Zverev managed to win the game, but Fils retained his lead, ultimately serving out the first set.
As the match progressed, Zverev increased pressure on Fils' serve. The German finally broke Fils in the second set, converting a break point on his eighth attempt to take a 4-2 lead. Despite this breakthrough, the second set continued on serve, with Zverev securing the set and pushing the match to a deciding third set.
In the third set, both players showcased their endurance as they held serve, moving inevitably towards a tiebreak. Fils was the first to gain an upper hand in the tiebreak, pushing Zverev into errors to establish a 3-0 lead.
The tiebreak saw Zverev win just one point from a long rally, entering the changeover trailing 1-5. Fils responded with a precise backhand winner up the line, earning himself a championship point. He then secured the victory as Zverev's return hit the net.