Sizzling Zverev takes fourth title of the year

WASHINGTON: Alexander Zverev issued a warning to top ATP rivals Sunday after winning the Citi Open for his fourth title of the year — he’s not the next generation, he’s the now generation.

The 20-year-old German defeated South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 to capture the $355,460 (302,000 euros) top prize at the US Open tuneup event on the Washington hardcourts.

World number eight Zverev dropped only nine points on his serve and never faced a break point in becoming the youngest player to win four ATP titles in a year, or take the Washington crown, since Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro did it at 19 in 2008.

“I improved a lot in the last few months to get where I can win tournaments,” Zverev said. “The longer the tournament goes for me the better I’m able to play. Hopefully this can continue to be like that.”

Zverev won his first title last September in St. Petersburg and added trophies this year at Montpellier, Munich and Rome, where he downed Novak Djokovic in the final.He also ousted number four Stan Wawrinka at Miami and pushed Rafael Nadal to five sets in the third round of the Australian Open.

“I’m ‘Next Gen’ but the rankings say it for themselves,” Zverev said.“I think I showed I can play with the big guys this year.Meanwhile, Russia’s 58th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova prevented a German title sweep by rallying past 40th-ranked Julia Goerges 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-0 for her third career WTA crown.Makarova hadn’t won a title since 2014 in Pattaya City. Her first WTA trophy came at Eastbourne in 2010. —AFP