Alexander Zverev beats Karen Khachanov and wins Tokyo Games men’s singles gold
The 5th world champion Alexander Zverev won the biggest title of his career when he defeated Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3 6-1 on Sunday and won the gold medal in men’s singles at the Olympic Games. The 24-year-old, who has yet to win a Grand Slam title, was in terrific form in the one-hour and 19-minute express competition to become the first German to win a single Olympic gold.
The 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) Zverev controlled the match with his big serve and a confident two-handed backhand, never really giving the 25th-ranked Khachanov a chance. Zverev’s previous best performance was reaching the final of last year’s U.S. Open, where he wasted a two-set lead in a five-set loss to Dominic Thiem.
He remained in complete control, thundering backhand winners past his opponent who could only look on as he settled for silver.
Zverev became only the second German to win Olympic singles gold, matching Steffi Graff’s achievement at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Germany also won Olympic gold in the doubles with Boris Becker and Michael Stich at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Khachanov was competing in Tokyo as a representative of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) because the country was stripped of its flag and anthem for doping offences.
IOC president Thomas Bach watched his fellow German win the title as a group of about 10 anti-Olympic protesters across the street from the Ariake Tennis Park made themselves heard inside Center Court. The play was not interrupted.
