Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Taylor Fritz reached the ATP Finals title decider on Saturday by defeating Alexander Zverev in three sets, moving one win away from becoming the first American champion at the showpiece event since Pete Sampras 25 years ago. Fifth-ranked Fritz triumphed 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3) over world number two Zverev in a thrilling match at the season-ending event in Turin. Fritz will face either world number one Jannik Sinner or Casper Ruud in Sunday’s showdown after becoming the first US man to make the final since James Blake in 2006.
Fritz could yet have the chance to gain revenge on Sinner for being beaten in September’s US Open final following a gruelling match in northern Italy. Both players had chances to take control in a topsy-turvy third set, but failed to capitalise on a host of break points before Fritz held his nerve better in the tie-break to claim a spot in the final. Fritz managed to save three break points in game five of the third set, just when it looked like Zverev was set to take control of the match. “That was probably the biggest turning point, I lose one of those points and that’s probably it. That’s kind of how it goes with playing Sascha,” said Fritz, who got to the semis two years ago. “It’s awesome to come back and go a step further. It’s an honour to be here so to be in the final is amazing.”
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Zverev was aiming for a tour-leading 70th win of the season, but his winning streak was snapped at eight matches after coming into Saturday’s clash having not dropped a single set or service game in Turin.
He has fought back from an awful ankle injury at the 2022 French Open to rise to number two in the world and win two Master 1000 events this season, in Rome and Paris. However, the 27-year-old admitted that he failed to take his chances when it counted on Saturday after playing arguably the better tennis in the closing two sets of the match. “It was one of those days where everything, it takes times to get going,” said Zverev, who on Friday night described the men’s tennis calendar as “crazy”. “It’s like it’s not a natural flow to movement patterns, to your shots as well, to just how you wake up in the morning. Everything is a little bit more tiring. I felt that way today.”
Home hope Sinner will be backed by a passionate crowd in the day’s main event, the Italian aiming for his first Finals title after an exceptional year in which he won seven tournaments, including his first Grand Slam victories at the Australian and US Opens. He lost last year’s final to Novak Djokovic, who pulled out of the tournament injured this time around and he entered the 2024 event already assured of becoming the first Italian to top the ATP end-of-year rankings. However, he has been dogged by controversy after twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March. He was initially cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, but at the end of September the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed, seeking a ban of up to two years.
© 2024 AFP
