Tuesday came a deeper dive into the pool, when Zverev took on Novak Djokovic in a World Tennis League match played in Dubai. The first two games made the case for a shallower reentry. Serving to start, Zverev revealed a familiar weakness, double-faulting three games to drop his serve at 30. Djokovic held easily to go up 2-0. But quickly, Zverev regained his poise. He broke back and then began to play the kind of tennis that’s taken him quite high: big serves, backed up by great movement and crisp, deep drives, most powerfully off the backhand.
The turning point came with Djokovic serving at 3-4. At 40-30, the Serb punched a forehand volley long. Next, since this team event is using no-ad scoring, there came a simultaneous game point. Djokovic feathered a crosscourt forehand drop volley. In sprinted Zverev, seemingly so late to the ball that his only choice was to drive a forehand down the line. But instead, Zverev whipped the ball sharply, nailing Djokovic in the chest. Even Zverev was surprised by the proficiency of his shot, as was the jolted Djokovic. Amid such a demonstration of resurgence, the two engaged in a brief hug. Zverev then went on to hold at love and win the set, 6-3.
He kept up his fine tennis in the second. Following an early exchange of breaks, Zverev again broke Djokovic at 2-2 with a pair of snappy crosscourt forehand winners. From there, Zverev remained in control, the only hitch coming when at 5-4, 40-15, when he double-faulted. On the next point, Zverev commanded a baseline rally well enough to extract a wide forehand error.