Alexander Zverev began his ATP Finals campaign with a 6-4 6-4 victory over rising star Rafael Jodar, who was competing in the event for the first time.
Zverev claimed his first two Grand Slam titles this year and became world No 1 for the first time too.
He is aiming for his third ATP Finals trophy after taking the season-ending event in 2018 and 2021.
“It’s been a very good year for me. A lot of things that I’ve wanted to achieve I have achieved this year,” Zverev said. “But playing here you can never take it for granted.”
The 20-year-old Jodar is the first man to qualify for the Finals in the same season as his tour-level debut.
The 6ft 6ins Zverev dominated with his serve, cranking out 10 aces on the fast indoor surface, and consistently applied pressure on Jodar’s serve.
It was a convincing performance for Zverev after entering on a two-match losing streak that included a straight-set loss to Lorenzo Musetti in his first match as world No 1.
The only time Zverev got in trouble was when he faced two break points while attempting to serve out the first set. He hit an ace on the first break point and a service winner on the second, then landed another ace before closing the set out.
“To start the tournament with a 6-4, 6-4 win is always very, very nice,” Zverev said.
“I still think I have a lot of things to improve. It was not a perfect match.”
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