Alexander Zverev battles into maiden Masters final after win over John Isner at Rome

Zverev battled into his maiden Masters final with a gutsy 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 win over big-serving Isner.

Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball during his semi final match against John Isner, of the United States, at the Italian Open tennis tournament. | AP 

ROME: German tyro Alexander Zverev battled into his maiden Masters final on Saturday with a gutsy 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 win over big-serving American John Isner.

Zverev, the 20-year-old son of former Russian professional Alexander Zverev Sr., will meet either four-time winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia or Austria's Dominic Thiem in Sunday's final.

Djokovic, the second seed and the only previous Masters winner still in contention, plays eighth seed Thiem later Saturday after completing his rain-interrupted quarter-final against Juan del Potro to beat the unseeded Argentinian 6-1, 6-4.

Thiem, beaten to the Madrid Masters title by Rafael Nadal last week, avenged his loss by dumping Spain's former seven-time Rome champion out in the quarters on Friday.