History does not seem to hang heavily on the shoulders of Alexander Zverev; indeed, it invigorates him. The young German’s self-belief carried him to a straight sets win over Roger Federer of mesmerising intensity on Saturday, and he embraces the challenge of doing the same against Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday night with undiminished confidence.

In beating Federer 7-5, 7-6 (5) in the afternoon, Zverev halted the Swiss’s run to 100 tournament victories at 99. If he beats Djokovic, he stops him lifting his sixth ATP Tour trophy.

Newly installed as world No 1 and the owner of two more majors in a remarkable comeback season, Djokovic is an obvious favourite after a 6-2, 6-2 win over Kevin Anderson in the second semi-final. He destroyed 20 of the South African’s second serves and converted 75% of his own, gave him not a single break opportunity and made just 17 unforced errors in an hour and a quarter. That’s a tennis shutout. “It was the best match I have played so far this week,” Djokovic said immediately afterwards. “It came at the right time.”

Nevertheless, few dispassionate observers are betting against Zverev finishing the year with a memorable two-in-a-row flourish. He is in prime form at the right time.

Zverev has beaten them back-to-back before: when he won the 2017 Rome Masters against Djokovic and, three months later, the Rogers Cup against Federer. Countering that optimism, Djokovic allowed him only five games in their round-robin match on Wednesday and three games in their previous meeting, in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters a month ago.

At 31, Djokovic is looking almost as dominant as he did in 2011, when he won 43 matches in a row, as well as three slams. Since he lost to Marin Cilic in the final at Queen’s, he has won 35 of 37 matches. He won Wimbledon for the fourth time by outlasting an exhausted Anderson, then went on a tear before blips against Stefanos Tsitsipas in Toronto and Karen Khachanov last weekend in Paris. He would not like the idea of losing to the third of the new breed.

His is the level of history that only the very best players would not find intimidating. Zverev says of the challenge: “Novak right now is the best player in the world. He’s barely lost a match in the last six months. He’s playing amazing tennis. You have to play your best game to even have a chance.”

Roger Federer talks with the umpire after Alexander Zverev stopped playing when a ballboy dropped a ball. Photograph: Stephen Bartholomew/IPS/REX/Shutterstock

The first semi-final raised the bar after a week of solid but unspectacular tennis – and it should be remembered for more than the incident in the closing moments that saw sections of the pro-Federer crowd at their worst, booing Zverev, and the young winner at his best.

He held his nerve at several key pressure points in the first set, breaking in the tense 12th game when he forced Federer to dump a forehand. Tension rose in the second set as Federer launched his fightback but Zverev was equal to it.

He was serving at 3-4 in the tie-break when a ballboy dropped a ball in his eyeline, just behind (and unbeknownst to) Federer. Zverev, playing to the rules, stopped as Federer moved to continue the exchange. The crowd jeered loudly, the referee confirmed they should replay the point, Zverev aced to level and stayed strong to win the match, finishing with an athletic backhand volley crosscourt – much to the displeasure of the truculent wing of Federer’s fans.

In an emotional courtside response that diluted the joy of his victory, Zverev began to explain how he had apologised to Federer when a wail of petulance from the darkened stands descended, prompting Annabel Croft to interrupt the Sky interview and chide the miscreants. In her most commanding Home Counties tones, she advised them to “be a bit more respectful”. It sort of did the trick.

There was no apparent problem between the players – but a little between the ears of some of Federer’s purblind worshippers. In a minor echo of the unfortunate end to Naomi Osaka’s breakthrough win at the US Open this year, against the caterwauling backdrop of Serena Williams’s meltdown, Zverev’s immediate reaction reflected his emotions. “I’m a little bit upset now about the situation. It’s not how I wanted it to end.” He said Federer agreed with him when they met at the net that “it was in the rules” that play should stop – although in his press conference later Federer said: “I don’t know what the rules are.”

All round, it was not a great look. Regardless, Zverev now has to put it behind him and reboot his focus against Djokovic. If he wins, he will go one better than the last German to reach the final, Boris Becker, who lost to Pete Sampras 22 years ago.

He said of his performance against Federer: “I played really aggressive from start to finish. I knew I had to be the one that was aggressive, not letting Roger dictate. If Roger dictates, you have no chance of winning.”

On the evidence of the second semi-final – not to mention the extraordinary year Djokovic has had – the decider will be no easier.