World No 1 Jannik Sinner demolished Casper Ruud 6-1 6-2 to set up a title showdown against Taylor Fritz at the ATP Finals in Turin.
Sinner put on a show on Saturday night to end the hopes of Ruud and set up another match with American Fritz – the player he beat in the US Open final and again in the group stage here on Tuesday.
“I felt like I was returning really well in the first game and when I went up a break I tried to be really concentrated with the service games,” said Sinner during his on-court interview.
“I was a couple of break points down in the first set and then fortunately I managed to get through. I raised my level and tried to be quite intense with it. I’m happy with my performance and happy to be in the final.
“Very similar circumstances because we [Taylor Fritz] already played in the round-robin format and will play again in the final.
“I just try to play the best I can tomorrow. Anything can happen. I’m just happy to be back here. I’ve grown as a player since last year.
“It’s been a very positive week and year so I’m really happy.”
‘A demolition job’
“An absolute ball-striking masterclass from Jannik Sinner. Just his level of play, the consistency, the quality, giving a world-class player like Ruud absolutely no chance,” said Tim Henman on Sky Sports Tennis.
“Just a complete demolition in an hour and six minutes.
“Just full of confidence going into tomorrow’s final against Taylor Fritz.”
Tale of the Tape
Fritz outlasts Zverev to reach ATP Finals title match
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Watch highlights of the ATP Finals semi-final match between Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz
Fritz became the first American in 18 years to book his place in the finals after beating world No 2 Alexander Zverev 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-3) in a tense semi-final showdown.
Fritz dominated the first set with ease but Zverev fought back hard in the second to take the match the distance.
The pair exchanged some stunning rallies, the longest being 32 shots, during a thriller of a contest which went into a deciding set tie-break.
Fritz, 27, got ahead early and finished Zverev off with an audacious inside-out forehand winner on his first match point to become the first American finalist at the elite eight-man event since James Blake lost the 2006 final to Roger Federer.
The last American to win the trophy was Pete Sampras in 1999.
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Fritz believes he needs to play exactly how he did in the first set against Zverev again to take home the title on Sunday
“I mean it was tough in the second and the third set,” said Fritz, who surprisingly matched Zverev from the baseline throughout an enthralling match. “I think I played an almost perfect first set, things felt great but things can change so quickly when you’re playing someone like Sascha [Alexander Zverev].
“When I was trying to be aggressive, I didn’t feel like it was doing much so I just told myself to be solid and fight and give him nothing.
“A big thing is that I trust my game and my level and I don’t feel uncomfortable and I play the top guys at big events. I’m really confident in my game.
“I feel like the last couple of times I’ve played him, I’ve felt really good in that pattern. I love my backhand and I don’t want to change my game based on who I am playing.
“I had that belief I could hang in that rally and I wanted to be aggressive. I think I want to play exactly like I played in the first set [in the final].”
Henman: Fritz has gone up a level
Gigi Salmon and Tim Henman discuss Fritz’s epic win against Zverev to reach the final
“It was an amazing match. Fritz started off so well, served impressively and Zverev looked frustrated,” said Henman.
“In the second set we saw a change as Zverev built some scoreboard pressure but then in the third set, from start to finish, it was so close.
“They were getting into these incredible backhand exchanges. It was such fine margins as to why Fritz came out on top.
“Even in the last couple of months, Fritz has gone up a level and he’s learnt so much about himself and he has trusted himself to be aggressive.
“There were a few moments where I don’t think Sascha took that forward step and played on his terms. He got a bit passive on the forehand in the tie-break and I don’t think that’s something he didn’t know already.
“I think he can win a Slam but if he plays like that he won’t. He needs to be prepared to take it on.”
Tale of the Tape
Taylor Fritz vs Alexander Zverev: Tale of the Tape
Taylor Fritz vs Alexander Zverev: Tale of the Tape
What’s happening Sunday at the ATP Finals on Sky Sports Tennis?
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World No 1 Jannik Sinner is through to his ninth ATP Tour final this year as he makes it back-to-back finals in Turin. He has won 25 out of his last 26 matches.
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The top seed is also the first player to reach the final without dropping a set since record seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in 2018.
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The Italian will take on Taylor Fritz who will be looking to become the first American winner of the season-ending extravaganza since the legendary Pete Sampras won the title in 1999.
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