wide which he followed up with an inside out crosscourt forehand winner to hold serve.

Serving for the match at 5-1 15-30, Zverev struck an ace out wide followed by a down the line backhand volley winner to lead 40-30 and set up match point.

On the final point of the match, Zverev struck a crosscourt swing forehand volley which the Russian followed up with a netted down the line forehand to end the match after 79 minutes of play.

Zverev; who had stunned the world number Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the semifinal round, fell to his knees in celebration upon winning the gold medal.

Djokovic had hoped to win the gold medal in Tokyo on his journey for the Golden Grand Slam.

The Golden Grand Slam; winning all four grand slams and the Olympic singles gold medal, has been competed only once; in 1988 by Steffi Graf also of Germany.

Zverev is the first German male to win a gold medal in singles and the first to win a medal since Tommy Haas took silver in men's singles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Currently ranked fifth, Zverev in his best grand slam result reached the final of the 2020 US Open.