By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday November 12, 2024
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner raised the roof at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, and stayed undefeated with a victory over top American Taylor Fritz.
Photo Source: TTV
In a rematch of this year’s US Open men’s singles final, Jannik Sinner once again proved too strong for Taylor Fritz. The Italian got crazed support from a packed house at the Inalpi Arena, and rode the energy to a pitch-perfect 6-4 6-4 triumph over Fritz as he improved to 2-0 in group play at the ATP Finals in Turin.
Sinner, a winner of his first two major titles already in 2024, has won 23 of his last 24 matches and improves his overall record this season to 67-6.
“It was a very tough match because we know each other very well,” said Sinner after improving to 3-1 lifetime against Fritz. “We knew exactly what to expect today. He was very aggressive. I just tried to serve very good in the important moments, which I have done… It was a very important day for me today and I’m happy that I got through.”
Sinner never surrendered a break of serve and he was able to finagle a break in the final game of each set as he left a disappointed Fritz wondering what he will have to do to excel in the big moments against the No.1-ranked Italian.
"I think it was a really high-level match from both sides," Fritz said. "I felt like I played really well. I felt like he played well. I think there's a lot of positives I can take out of it."
Fritz, a semifinalist last year in Turin, upset Daniil Medvedev in the first round robin match of these ATP Finals and could have qualified for the semifinals with a win on Tuesday.
Instead the 27-year-old drops to 50-22 on the season. He will face Alex de Minaur on Thursday with hopes of reaching the last four for a second consecutive year.
Sinner will face Medvedev on Thursday in Turin. The Italian is bidding to become the first player to win an ATP Finals title on home soil since Andy Murray in 2016, and the first Italian to ever triumph at the tour’s prestigious season-ending championships.
He hit 22 winners against 18 unforced errors and won the battle of second serves, winning 59 percent of his own second offerings while Fritz only managed to win 38 percent of his second-serve points.
Fritz had his biggest chance to take control of the match midway through the second set. With Sinner serving at 3-3 30-all, he had a chance to earn a critical break point but Sinner lasered a backhand winner up the line to change the course of the game. It was a point that left Fritz fuming as Sinner celebrated boisterously, index finger to temple, while being serenaded by the crowd.
"One of those 30-Alls I really did play a good point," Fritz said. "He did an amazing pass. That's the real difference in that match. That's why he's had such an insane year. That's why he's No. 1."
The Italian wasn’t troubled again on serve, and he rallied from 0-30 down in the final game, winning the final four points of the game to clinch his victory in one hour and 40 minutes.