Alexander Zverev is the new champion of the Bank Eric Sturdza Geneva Open. The world No. 5 came out victorious with a superb showdown in the final. He won 6-3 3-6 7-6 (10/8) against Nicolas Jarry in a match interrupted twice by the rain.

Spectators were absolutely right to brave the elements. They watched a final which was likened to a real “thriller”. Alexander Zverev won on his fourth match point after discarding two. The scenario of this decisive match is why Nicolas Jarry could not hold back his tears after the final. The Chilean had actually made two errors on two match points in his favor, on a backhand and forehand volley, even though he had practically won the point.

Alexander Zverev succeeds the Eric Sturdza Geneva Open Bank at Thomaz Bellucci (2015), Stan Wawrinka (2016 and 2017) and Marton Fucsovics (2018). “I’m leaving Geneva with the title and new confidence”, rejoices the German who has also got “revenge” for his brother, Mischa, beaten two years ago by Stan Wawrinka in the final of the same Bank Eric Sturdza Geneva Open.

Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic have retained their crowns. Titled last year at the Parc des Eaux-Vives, the Austrian and the Croatian won 6-4 6-4 in the final ahead of the pair formed by the Australian Matthew Ebden and the Swede Robert Lindstedt. They stole the service of their opponents three times to conclude this final in 1h15.

Seeded No. 1 on the table, Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic plucked their sixth title, the first since their success last year in the same Bank Eric Sturdza Geneva Open. It will be remembered that the two men, victorious in the Australian Open in 2018, stole last year’s ATP race which crowns the best doubles team.

With this success in Geneva which was held onto by a thread – the pair were at the point of defeat on Friday in front of the Frenchman Fabrice Martin and the German Andreas Mies –, Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic arrive perfectly “pitched” for the supreme rendezvous of Roland-Garros.

The young players will be honored tomorrow in the final of the Bank Eric Sturdza Geneva Open. Indeed, they are two players of, respectively, 22 and 23 years old who this afternoon have obtained their ticket for the final stage of the tournament.

The day began with a hotly contested doubles match between Fabrice Martin and Andreas Mies, opposed to former world No. 1 contenders Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic. In a super tight tie-break, where each side had a match point in his favor, it was finally Marach and Pavic who won 6-3 3-6 13-11 on a Central court, hot under the midday sun. Tomorrow at 1 pm, they will defend their title against Robert Lindstedt and Matthew Ebden.

Then followed the first semifinal singles, which pitted the No. 5 seed of the tournament Radu Albot against the tall guy- 1m98! – Chilean Nicolas Jarry. The Moldovan has not done much against the excellent service and the formidable forehand of his young opponent. Nicolas Jarry delivered the match in just over an hour, 6-3 6-4.

It was then time to decide between the world No. 5, Alexander Zverev, and the Argentine Federico Delbonis. The young German did not fail to remember his tournament favorite status. Facing difficulty many times by a fierce opponent, “Sascha” demonstrated a foolproof determination to find solutions in important moments. Alexander Zverev will play his first Bank Eric Sturdza Geneva Open final tomorrow at 15:30, and he hopes to win. “I came to regain confidence, but I’m playing to win,” the winner of the London Masters 2018 firmly said. Here it is, the  announcement for the great Saturday afternoon of sport at the Tennis Club Eaux-Vives for the finals of this fifth edition of Bank Eric Sturdza Geneva Open.

He did the job! Without touching the genius but with exemplary skill, Alexander Zverev escaped the trap set by Hugo Dellien (ATP 92). Taking victory 7-5 3-6 6-3 from the Bolivian, the world No. 5 has demonstrated to the Geneva public his firm will to pluck the title on Saturday.

“Tennis is very easy when you play well. But if, on the other hand, you are not having a great day, it becomes a very complicated sport”, stresses Alexander Zverev, who makes no secret of the reality of his form. He still did not meet his expectations. The winner of the last Masters will however have the opportunity to take another step forward on Friday in his semifinal against Federico Delbonis, hard winner over Albert Ramos-Vinolas, at the end of the night.

The semi-final at the bottom of the table will pit Nicolas Jarry (ATP 75) against Radu Albot (ATP 45). The Chilean and Moldovan were talking before about the logic of classification, respectively, Taro Daniel (ATP 107) and Damir Dzumhur (ATP 57), the “executioner” of Stan Wawrinka.

This duel between Jarry and Albot will be unprecedented. It will bring together two players who offer a very nice opposition of style, between the power of the Chilean and the flat game of the Moldavian. To nominate a favorite for this match seems very difficult, even if Radu Albot has given off a very beautiful impression from the beginning of the week.

A thunderclap on the Bank Eric Sturdza Geneva Open! Winner of the tournament in 2016 and 2017, Stan Wawrinka fell from the outset. The Vaudois was defeated 3-6 6-3 6-4 by Damir Dzumuhr (ATP 57). Just out of qualifications, the Bosnian exploited the lack of regularity in the No. 2 seed’s play, to reach the quarterfinals.

This day that bathed in sunshine and followed by a large audience has also made others victims of the brand. Therefore, titleholder, Marton Fucsovics (ATP 38) has been beaten 6-4 6-2 by Argentine Federico Delbonis (ATP 84). Seeded No. 3, the Chilean Christian Garin (ATP 37), like Stan Wawrinka and Marton Fucsovics, was eliminated in his first match on the clay at Eaux-Vives, beaten 6-2 4-6 6-4 by the Japanese player, Taro Daniel (ATP 137).

After the defeats of Stan Wawrinka and Christian Garin, the Bank Eric Sturdza Geneva Open will present an unexpected finalist Saturday. It will come from the quartet formed of the Moldovan Radut Albot (ATP 45), the Chilean Nicolas Jarry (ATP 75), Damir Dzumhur and Taro Daniel. On the eve of the quarter finals, it’s hard to guess which of the four will still be in contention for the title Saturday. It is also the magic of tennis!