VIENNA/STARNBERG, October 31, 2021
Alexander Zverev of Germany captured the title of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, Austria. The No. 2 seed of the ATP 500 indoor tournament defeated US-American qualifier Frances Tiafoe 7-5, 6-4 in Sunday’s singles final at the Stadthalle.
Zverev, who moved past #NextGenATP stars Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada and Carlos Alcaraz from Spain en route to the championship match, struck 19 aces and won 80 per cent of his first-service points to improve to 5-0 in ATP finals this season after one hour and 35 minutes.
High five ✋@AlexZverev ties Casper Ruud for most ATP Tour titles won this season with his fifth crown 🏆
🎥: @TennisTV | @AlexZverev | #ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/9q20MKeK5I
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 31, 2021
“He didn’t let me play the way I wanted to play, tactically he was very good,” Zverev said. “But I am happy with the win and I am happy with my fifth title of the year and I am happy with my first in Vienna, so it was a good day.”
By lifting his fifth trophy, Zverev has tied Norway’s Casper Ruud for most ATP Tour titles clinched this season. Earlier in the week, the 24-year-old earned his 300th tour-level career match win against Australian Alex de Minaur.
Cabal/Farah take doubles title
Earlier in the day, Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah of Colombia showed a dominant performance, beating Rajeev Ram from the United States and Briton Joe Salisbury 6-4, 6-2 to win the doubles title.
🏆 Dubai
🏆 Barcelona
🏆 Vienna🇨🇴 @juanscabal & @RobertFarah_ defeat Ram & Salisbury 6-4, 6-2 for their third ATP 500 title this season 👏
🎥: @TennisTV | #ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/h47ZGMSwfk
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 31, 2021
“Thank you all of you for being here,” Farah said during the trophy ceremony. “For us it is amazing to play in this atmosphere in a full stadium and to have the crowd back and feel these amazing vibes.”
The South Americans earned their third team title of the season.
“The crowd has been amazing, thank you for coming,” Cabal added. “It was our time. It has been a pleasure being here.”
Almost 60,000 spectators at the Erste Bank Open
A total of almost 60,000 spectators flocked to the Stadthalle and the new, second “Tennis 2 Go” venue, located on the grounds of the Vienna Ice Skating Club at the Heumarkt.
“That is only around 10 per cent less than in 2019, our previous record year,” tournament director Herwig Straka said during the final news conference on Sunday morning.
“That’s great when you consider that 30 per cent of the potential spectators couldn’t come because of the 2G regulation (vaccinated or recovered). Nonetheless, we welcomed and supported this rule right from the start. As you have seen this week, quite rightly.”
