By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, November 16, 2024
Taylor Fritz fended off Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3) to become the first American since James Blake in 2006 to reach the ATP Finals final.
Photo credit: Valerio Pennicino/Getty
Firing one final forehand into the corner, Taylor Fritz celebrated a major knockout with a massive uppercut.
A fired-up Fritz fended off world No. 2 Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3) advancing to his maiden ATP Finals title match in Turin today.
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It’s a mammoth win for Fritz, who is the first American man to reach the ATP Finals title match since Miami Open tournament director James Blake in 2006.
The fifth-seeded Fritz denied 5 of 6 break points, including saving all five break points he faced in the final set to snap Zverev’s eight-match winning streak and deny the German his 70th win of the season.
“I have just a lot of belief in myself,” Fritz told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj afterward. “I’ve been serving well so when I’ve had those moments where I’m down love-40, down break point, I believe I can come up with a first serve.
“I can get some free points. Love-40 is not as out of reach from being deuce when maybe it is when I’m not serving great. I have a lot of confidence in my game.”
This was high drama and as tight a test as we've seen this week—each man won precisely 97 points—and came down to Fritz playing with more clarity and confidence in the tiebreaker.
Two-time champion Zverev, who had not dropped serve or a set prior to today’s semifinal, suffered his fourth consecutive loss for Fritz.
The 27-year-old Fritz advanced to his fifth final of the year where he will face either world No. 1 and home hero Jannik Sinner in what would be a US Open final rematch or world No. 7 Casper Ruud tomorrow.
In a season of firsts for Fritz, who reached his maiden major final in Flushing Meadows, is the first American man since 2006 to contest a major final, became the first American man since Hall of Famers Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras in 1999 to post 10 or more Top 10 wins in a season and will play for his first ATP Finals championship tomorrow.
Fritz is playing to become the first American man to win the ATP Finals championship since five-time champion Sampras swept Agassi to capture the crown 25 years ago.
Though Fritz is 1-3 lifetime vs. reigning US Open and Australian Open champion Sinner and 1-2 vs. Ruud, he showed the strong self-belief to go for it at crunch time today.
“I’ve been playing a lot more matches against the top players in the end of tournaments and big events,” Fritz said. “I’m learning a lot from experience, getting a lot better, feeling more confident in the moments.
“Hopefully, it plays a big role. I’m just going to go out in the finals and have fun.”
In a clash of commanding servers, neither man was tested on serve until the sixth game.
Fritz looped a lob then spun a forehand pass for break point. Zverev, who had not dropped serve or a set in Turin, stretched Fritz with the wide serve and hammered his two-hander down the line to save break point.
Bungling a mid-court backhand into net, Zverev faced a second break point.
This time Fritz, staying low and using his legs as a power base, smacked a crosscourt forehand scoring the first break for 4-2. Fritz snapped Zverev’s streak of 43 consecutive holds.
The fifth-seeded American issued a love hold backing up the break for 5-2.
The US Open finalist slammed his sixth ace for triple set point. Fritz approached behind a forehand and sealed a one-set lead when Zverev missed a running pass.
Coach Michael Russell stood and gave his charge a clenched fist after the 26-minute opener.
Spreading the serve box with confidence, Fritz served 76 percent and won 18 of 19 first-serve points, growing stronger on serve as the set progressed.
Forty-eight minutes into the match, Fritz was missing first serves and Zverev ratcheted up the pressure.
Attacking a second serve, Zverev blocked a backhand volley for a second break point. Fritz’s approach was too central in the court and Zverev dipped a forehand pass that handcuffed the American as he broke for 3-1.
The French Open finalist sped through his third love hold of the match stretching his lead to 4-1.
Zverev erased a break point in the seventh game then slammed his sixth ace holding for a 5-2 second-set lead.
Recovering from a love-30 hole, Zverev ran off four points in a row finishing with a short forehand to serve out the second set.
Crackling rallies escalated in the fifth game of the decider. Zverev exploited a sloppy stretch from Fritz bursting out to a triple break point lead on the American’s serve.
Digging deep, Fritz fought off all three break point and stood his ground in some punishing rallies. In a gritty game, Fritz fought back holding for 3-2 when Zverev sailed a shot long.
Serving at 3-4, Zverev saved a pair of break points then went for a massive 136 mph second serve and missed it long. That double fault presented a third break point. A gutsy Zverev attacked and spun a forehand drive volley to erase the third break point.
Driving a backhand down the line, Zverev leveled at 4-all withstanding the stress screaming “come on!” toward his box.
Improvisational skill helped Zverev earn break points in the 11th game.
Adjusting to a ball that skipped off the tape and popped up, Zverev made a stab reflex volley and blanketed the net to draw the error. A Fritz backhand sailed as the American faced break point. Fritz took the challenge in stride slamming a smash.
Turning his shoulders into a forehand, Zverev spun a winner down the line for his second break point of the game. Hitting heavy inside-out forehands, Fritz erased it.
A stubborn Fritz fought off five break points in the set as he churned through a hard-fought hold for 6-5.
The world No. 2 held firm to force a decisive tiebreaker.
Crunch time was go time for Fritz, who snatched a 4-1 tiebreaker lead.
Whipping the wide serve, Fritz targeted the Zverev forehand and coaxed a shot beyond the baseline for match points at 6-3.
Zverev said Fritz has strengthened a forehand, which makes him more dangerous in tight matches.
"One thing, his forehand. His forehand used to break down quite a lot," Zverev said. "His forehand was always fast, very aggressive, but it was very, very shaky in important moments. He could hit a winner, but he could hit the fence, as well.
"I feel like the ratio is a lot more towards winners now than hitting the fence. His forehand doesn't break down as much as it used to.
"I think that's the shot that improved the most for him."
Hammering a diagonal forehand, Fritz closed a two hour, 21-minute triumph with a bang and threw a clenched fist toward his box. Coach Iron Mike Russell pounded his fist over his heart in a tribute to his charge’s competitive character.
The 2022 Indian Wells champion Fritz will play for a $2.237 million champion’s check and ninth career title tomorrow.