Zverev smokes Djokovic to win 1st career Masters title in Rome

Alexander Zverev continues to chart a meteoric ascent up the ATP ranks.

The 20-year-old scored the biggest win of his career Sunday, trouncing world No. 2 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3 in the Italian Open final to capture his first Masters 1000 title. He's the youngest player to win a Masters event since Djokovic won the Miami Open at 19 back in 2007.

Djokovic followed up what he called his best match of 2017 - a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of a terrific clay-courter in Dominic Thiem - with a bit of a dud. He couldn't hit through Zverev and struggled to read the youngster's booming serve, winning just five total first-serve return points for the match and failing to earn a single break chance. He finished with just 11 winners against 27 unforced errors.

Zverev, though, deserves more credit than Djokovic deserves blame. He played savage, undaunted tennis, moving Djokovic around the court, beating him backwards with consistent depth, and pouncing all over every short ball that came his way.

It was an inspiring display from the tour's most promising rising star, who moves into the ATP top 10 for the first time with the win, and jumps to No. 4 in the Race to London.

Djokovic, who hasn't won a title since the first tournament of the year in Doha, announced after the match that he will start working with a new coach at the upcoming French Open: Andre Agassi.