By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday November 16, 2024
Taylor Fritz is hoping to do the unthinkable against the unplayable on Sunday in Turin.
That’s the setup for the American, who will bid to become the first man from his country to win an ATP Finals since Pete Sampras in 1999 when he meets World No.1 and heavily favorite Jannik Sinner in the final.
Sinner has taken hold of his head-to-head against Fritz in 2024, defeating the American in the US Open final in three uncomplicated sets and then knocking him off in round robin play earlier this week in Turin, 6-4, 6-4.
Fritz is now 1-3 with three consecutive losses against Sinner but he believes he is making strides against the Italian even if he has lost the last six sets the pair have contested without a single tiebreak.
On Saturday, after knocking off World No.2 Alexander Zverev in the semifinals, Fritz told reporters that his 6-4, 6-4 defeat at the hands of Sinner earlier in the week was a lot closer than it looked.
“I felt much more comfortable from the baseline,” he said of the loss. “I had my chances in that match. I had chances to break him in both sets. He had an equal amount of chances, and he took his. He played the big points better than I did in the group stage match.
The loss was a step up from his 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 loss to Sinner in Flushing Meadows in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“It didn't feel anywhere near as one-sided as the Open,” Fritz said. “I felt like the match for me felt closer than just like 4 and 4. Like I said, he played the big points better. He's the best player in the world. He's playing with a lot of confidence. That's something that you have to expect from him, to play the big points really well.
“I've made a lot of improvements in my game. For me at the US Open, the biggest thing was that I just didn't honestly play great. I didn't serve great. If I don't serve well, it sets up the rest of my game for failure, I'd say.
This time around, Fritz says he doesn’t need to change much. He simply needs to rise to the occasion.
“The way I played against him in the group stage was the correct way to play,” he said. “I think if I serve a bit better in the two games I got broken, literally play one or two points better in the return game where I had my chances, it could be a different match. Obviously that's a big ask because he's playing the big points incredibly well.
“But I wouldn't change anything. I really believe the match in the group stage was closer than you might think by just looking at the score.”