Federer sent a crosscourt forehand wide to drop serve and the set.
After an even more competitive set two, Federer held serve at 5-6 to force a tiebreaker.
Serving at 3-4 in the tiebreaker, Zverev, whose serve averaged in the 130 mile per hour range for the day, struck a 137 miles per hour ace out wide to level the score at four points all.
The German then struck a down the line backhand winner to lead 5-4.
Federer netted a down the line forehand volley to trail 4-6 and face matchpoint.
Zverev sent a crosscourt forehand lob long to reach 5-6.
However at matchpoint two, Zverev struck a crosscourt backhand swinging volley winner to take the tiebreaker 7-5 after one hour and thirty-four minutes of play.
In his 16th year end championship appearance, Federer had been overpowered by Zverev who had attacked the Swiss’ backhand repeatedly; forcing Federer too often into defensive crosscourt slices.
For Zverev, it would be his sixth final of 2018. He would also be the first German year end finalist in 22 years since Boris Becker.
In today’s final, Zverev takes on the world number one Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
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