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Oddly the 21-year-old world number three is yet
to progress past the last 16 of a grand slam but he now has
three Masters 1000 titles to his name and against Thiem played
with a swagger that suggests that his record in the majors will
improve soon.
The second seed broke a nervy-looking Thiem in the opening game
thanks to a double-fault and was never really challenged as he
produced a clinical serving display in which he did not even
offer up a break point.
Zverev, who did not face a break point all tournament, broke
again right at the start of the second but squandered the chance
of a double-break two games later as Thiem, conqueror of Rafael
Nadal in the last eight, hung on.
There was no chance of a let-up from Zverev though and he
remained focused throughout, winning on his first match point
when his Austrian opponent returned long.
Zverev becomes only the fifth active player to win at least
three Masters 1000 titles -- joining the 'big four' of Rafael
Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
He will roll on to try to defend his Rome title next week having
won nine matches in a row on clay, dropping only one set in the
process during title runs in Munich and Madrid.
"Hopefully I can continue this kind of streak in Rome," Zverev
told reporters.
"Winning two titles in two weeks is great. Winning a Masters,
another Masters, is unbelievable. But before the French Open,
there's still Rome where I'm the defending champion...
"Obviously I didn't get broken one time (in Madrid)," he added.
"But I don't think I faced breakpoints in the whole tournament.
For me, this is an amazing stat to know in the back of my mind."
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)
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