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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Katy Murrells

Jannik Sinner beats Taylor Fritz to claim ATP Finals title – as it happened

Jannik Sinner Taylor Fritz Alexander Zverev Ted Lasso Turin
Italy’s Jannik Sinner celebrates with the trophy.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner celebrates with the trophy. Photograph: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters

It’s notable that Sinner said he couldn’t have played much better. He’s set the bar for next season, that’s for sure. He served supremely tonight and was so aggressive on the return, and once he got ahead he barely gave Fritz a glimmer. There isn’t a better frontrunner in the game. So that’s a wrap on the ATP Tour season – but we’ve still got the Davis Cup Finals and Rafa Nadal’s farewell to come from Tuesday. It’s going to be emotional. Thanks for your company. Arrivederci!

Updated

Sinner is speaking again, this time to Sky’s Tim Henman.

It was a very special event. I played some very good tennis throughout this whole week, at times I couldn’t play any better actually. Very happy with how I handled every situation, sharing this moment with so many Italian fans, it’s amazing.

I know how much work I put in, how many sacrifices I make. I haven’t decided how I’ll celebrate tonight. We have Davis Cup after, so I have to be in shape for that.

At the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, Britain are close to ending Canada’s title defence. Katie Boulter leads Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up, 6-2, 3-0 with the double break, and victory would mean Britain advance to the semi-finals 2-0 after Emma Raducanu’s win earlier.

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Another ridiculous stat: Sinner has won a set in every match he’s played in 2024. “Djokovic a few years ago is the last time we saw a season like this,” says Laura Robson on Sky Sports.

Updated

The only elephant in the room, as Sinner sprays champagne on court, is Wada’s ongoing case against the world No 1 for his two failed drug tests. But the way he has been able to maintain his focus, while still having the threat of a ban hanging over him, has been remarkable.

Sinner then switches to Italian. I understand the “grazies” but not much else.

Updated

Sinner lifts the season-ending trophy for the first time in front of his adoring home crowd. Cue the tickertape and pyrotechnics and another ear-piercing round of “OLE OLE OLE OLE SINNER, SINNER! OLE OLE OLE OLE SINNER, SINNER!” It couldn’t have been scripted any better. He’s been the perfect leading man in the first ATP Finals in 23 years not to feature Federer, Nadal or Djokovic.

Taylor, first of all, congrats to you for an amazing week again. You’ve been so consistent throughout the season. You’ve been working so hard to be in this position, keep going, you’re on the right track.

Just a quick word to Carlos, 40 years of umpiring, amazing career, you might still be in Davis Cup, but me and Taylor feel very privileged to be part of your last ATP journey.

Fritz then trudges up to collect his runner-up trophy. A classy gesture from the Italian crowd, as they give the American a long standing ovation. He looks really moved and thanks them.

I want to stay congrats to Jannik and his team. An insane year for you, it’s really impressive.

Thank you for my team for putting up with me. It’s been a long year, I couldn’t do it without you.

It’s a great tournament, it’s amazing to end the year here, it’s been a great week and thank you to the fans. Being an American in Italy, even playing Jannik twice this week, I still felt the crowd was amazing. Thank you for that.

Updated

Speeches and trophy time. And there’s a huge cheer as it’s announced the ATP Finals will stay in Italy until 2030. It’s not clear if that means Turin; there has been talk the tournament could move to Milan. “Viva Italia!” the president of the Italian Tennis Federation exclaims. And now recognition for Carlos Bernardes, the Brazilian umpire who officiated this match and is now retiring after a 40-year career.

Updated

Fritz is slumped in his chair. A consolation for him: he’ll rise to career-high ranking of world No 4. At the age of 27, reaching this final and the final of the US Open, this has been the best year of his career too.

Sinner has lost only one match since the second week of August. He finishes with 70 ATP Tour match wins for the season and only six defeats (three of those coming against Carlos Alcaraz). And he’s the first Italian winner of this tournament.

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Sinner is up in the stands celebrating with his team and then, still sweating, he speaks:

It’s amazing. Amazing week. My first title in Italy, it means so much to me. Very special. It was a very high-level tournament from my side. At times I couldn’t play better so I’m very happy.

Sinners beats Fritz 6-4, 6-4 to win the ATP Finals!

So Sinner steps up to serve for the championship. He dices with danger on the first point, going for his inside-out forehand just a little more than he probably needs to, but it grazes the baseline. 15-0. A nervy miss and it’s 15-all. So the world No 1 is human sometimes too. But then Sinner is the superhero again, as he delivers the sweetest of drop shots to finish off a draining duel. 30-15. 40-15, secured with a fizzing forehand, and it’s two championship points. Fritz flings his forehand wide and Sinner gets his Italian job done! He secures his first ATP Finals title and his eighth title of the year, adding to his Australian Open and US Open victories. His breakout season must now feel complete. It’s been near perfection in Turin; he’s the first player since Ivan Lendl to win the season-ending tournament without dropping a set.

Updated

Second set: Sinner* 6-4, 5-4 Fritz (*denotes next server)

There’s another round of “OLE OLE OLE OLE SINNER, SINNER! OLE OLE OLE OLE SINNER, SINNER!” Fritz blocks out the noise and holds to love. Much credit to the American, but he’s probably just delaying the inevitable.

Second set: Sinner 6-4, 5-3 Fritz* (*denotes next server)

A rare loss of concentration for Sinner turns 15-0 into 15-all. But he atones for his sins with a crushing cross-court forehand that the lanky Italian leaps into the air to hit. Ooooff, take that. 30-15, 30-all, 40-30, as Sinner batters the lines again with his serve. That’s ace NO 13. But another brief lapse and it’s deuce. Sinner’s 210kph serve sets up the next point. And a stinging and snarling ace down the T secures the game. The home hero is a game away.

Second set: Sinner* 6-4, 4-3 Fritz (*denotes next server)

15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game Fritz. The way this is going, it could be the same scoreline as their group match, when Sinner won 6-4, 6-4, with one break in each set. Sinner hasn’t dropped more than four games in any set this week, such has been the world No 1’s dominance.

Second set: Sinner 6-4, 4-2 Fritz* (*denotes next server)

The staggering thing about Sinner is that he hits with such power, but has so much margin for error too; with his top-spin he gets so much height over the net with his shots. Fritz cancels out Sinner’s power with a cute drop shot for 30-all. But Sinner is fist-pumping and shaking his racket in celebration with a backhand drive down the line. There have been so many of those today. 40-30. Game. Fritz groans. Sinner skips to his chair having consolidated the break.

Updated

Sinner breaks: Sinner* 6-4, 3-2 Fritz (*denotes next server)

Risky, risky play from Fritz at 30-all and it doesn’t pay off. 30-40. Fritz cannot afford to be broken here. He saves the break point, but Sinner is back at him again straight away, turning defence into attack with a bullet of a backhand that a flailing Fritz can’t get back into play. Advantage Sinner. Break Sinner, as Fritz hoiks a forehand long. Fritz just can’t breathe out there. He’s very much in the danger zone now, while Sinner is sensing victory.

Updated

Oh the japes.

Second set: Sinner 6-4, 2-2 Fritz* (*denotes next server)

At 30-0, a collective groan as Sinner hits long. He blows on his sweaty hands, bounces the ball (which always sounds just that bit louder indoors), and then a squeaky-shoed rally ends with Fritz running forward … and planting his forehand volley into the net. The American smiles wryly and plays the shot again with his racket, between points, just to reset. Not that it helps. Sinner holds.

Second set: Sinner* 6-4, 1-2 Fritz (*denotes next server)

What can Fritz do differently here? I’m not sure there’s much, especially when Sinner is in this serving form. Again, as on Tuesday in their group match, Fritz is playing well, it’s just that Sinner is playing slightly better. That’s why Sinner is the best player in the world right now. Perhaps Fritz needs to channel his inner Djokovic and imagine the crowd are shouting “Fritz, Fritz, Fritz.” The tables have certainly turned from the US Open final, when Fritz had best part of 23,000 spectators on his side, and it still wasn’t enough. Fritz, though, does hold here to 15.

Second set: Sinner 6-4, 1-1 Fritz* (*denotes next server)

Fritz finds his feet at the start of the second set to hold to 30. But he can’t make any inroads on Sinner’s serve. A 12th ace takes the Italian to 40-0. And a wild forehand from Fritz ends the game.

It’s all going on. Over in Malaga at the Billie Jean King Cup, Emma Raducanu has put Britain 1-0 up in their quarter-final against the defending champions Canada, fending off seven break points in the second set to defeat Rebecca Marino 6-0, 7-5. It’s now over to Katie Boulter to try to finish the tie off against Leylah Fernandez, the player Raducanu beat in the 2021 US Open final.

Sinner wins the first set 6-4

Fritz pierces Sinner’s defences on the first point. An eighth ace from Sinner restores parity at 15-all. Sinner then jams Fritz with a body serve; Fritz absorbs the blow and gets it back but Sinner swats away the winner. 30-15, 30-all, 40-30, set point, courtesy of Sinner’s ninth ace. Virginia Bocelli chews on her fingernails. She’s nervous. And so is Sinner, or perhaps he’s a little over-excited, as he goes for too much on his forehand. Deuce. Advantage Fritz, as a shaky forehand from Sinner sits up invitingly for the American, who drills a winner down the line. Deuce. Advantage Sinner. And he seals it, very appropriately given his serving performance, with another ace. Sinner’s perfect record continues; that’s the ninth consecutive set he’s won at this tournament and he’s a set away from his first ATP Finals title.

First set: Sinner* 5-4 Fritz (*denotes next server)

15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game. There’s nothing giving here, as Fritz does at least force Sinner to serve this set out.

Updated

First set: Sinner 5-3 Fritz* (*denotes next server)

“OLE OLE OLE OLE SINNER, SINNER! OLE OLE OLE OLE SINNER, SINNER!” chant the crowd at the changeover. I’ve never seen so many screaming humans dressed as carrots. Once they settle, Sinner smoothly moves to 30-0. And soon 40-0. He still hasn’t dropped a point behind his first serve. And that’s the game as he backs up the break. He’s out-serving one of the best servers in the game here.

Sinner breaks: Sinner* 4-3 Fritz (*denotes next server)

How much of a factor will the 12,000-strong pro-Sinner crowd be tonight? I think you can argue it both ways. Yes, Fritz is not only having to play the world No 1 but also the crowd – but you could also argue it takes the pressure off in some ways because he’s very much the underdog. The cheers of the crowd must be ringing in his ears, though, as he hits long to gift Sinner two break points at 15-40, the first break points of the match. A big serve out wide … Sinner scoops it back … and Fritz goes back behind a stumbling Sinner for the winner! Smart. And an ace out wide drags Fritz to deuce.

Advantage Fritz, after Sinner shanks his shot. Deuce. Advantage Sinner, a third break point. The best point of the match so far, as the pair go backwards and forwards and left and right and Fritz hits successive half volleys … and Fritz finally emerges victorious! Deuce. Advantage Fritz. Deuce. Advantage Sinner, a fourth break point. And this time Sinner takes it as he whips the crowd into an Italian frenzy with the shrewdest of drop shots!

Updated

First set: Sinner 3-3 Fritz* (*denotes next server)

Fritz makes an early dent on Sinner’s serve for 0-15. Sinner swiftly responds for 30-15. The Italian’s up to four aces now; his serving has been exceptional so far, and he’s still 100% for first-serve points won. A 16-shot rally and Sinner prevails in that too. Fritz attempts to pass Sinner at the net but drags his backhand wide. Sinner holds to 15.

Updated

First set: *Sinner 2-3 Fritz (*denotes next server)

Sinner ends the run of points for the server by showing off his superb defence for 0-15. And he’s got a chance on a second serve on the second point. Sinner makes Fritz pay for the short ball by stepping in and ramming away the forehand winner for 0-30. But Fritz fends off the attack with two serve bombs. 30-all. And from there the world No 5 holds. And the good news is he doesn’t seem at all intimated by the big occasion. This is a more assured start than he made in the US Open final against Sinner.

First set: Sinner 2-2 Fritz* (*denotes next server)

The first-serve stats here from both players are hugely impressive. Sinner has landed 71% of his first serves, winning 100% of those points. And Fritz has made 90% of his first serves, claiming 78% of those points. This game sticks to the same script, with Sinner securing his second consecutive hold to love.

First set: *Sinner 1-2 Fritz (*denotes next server)

But here’s an effortless service game from Fritz, as he too holds to love with a short, sharp response. This is turning into an early serving shootout.

First set: Sinner 1-1 Fritz* (*denotes next server)

15-0. Cheer. 30-0. An even bigger cheer. 40-0. The stadium erupts. Game Sinner, as the applauding fans wearing neon orange in tribute to their hero are illuminated by the stadium’s UV lights. Two aces from Sinner already and Fritz didn’t get a look-in in that game. Whatever Fritz can do on serve, Sinner seems determined to show he can do better.

First set: Sinner* 0-1 Fritz (*denotes next server)

So it’s Fritz who steps up to serve first. The American quickly shows that he’s got one of the best serves in the business with an ace on the opening point. He backs that up with a backhand cross-court winner, a shot that worked so well against Zverev in the semi-finals yesterday. Sinner then comes up with a backhand winner of his own, this one down the line. 30-15. 30-all. 40-30, as Fritz takes matters into his own hands by coming into the net and putting away the volley. Fritz gets his name on the board when Sinner smacks a backhand into the net. A strong start from Fritz; he knows he can’t allow Sinner, of all players, a head start.

So does Fritz need to do anything different to his group-stage defeat by Sinner? I don’t think so – he performed well on Tuesday, backing up his serve with controlled aggression from the baseline, and standing up to Sinner’s clean, consistent and clinical ball striking. There wasn’t much in it – Fritz just played a few bad points on serve in the final game of each set. The American will approach this match with the same gameplan – as will Sinner. I’m backing Sinner to make it a double over Fritz, but if we’re lucky we may get three sets this evening.

A lanky Sinner strides to the net, does a few groin stretches for good measure and the pair pose for the pre-match photos. I’m not sure who won the coin toss there; I couldn’t pick it up from the on-court microphones. It’s hard to hear much over this crowd.

Updated

The fans have been loud this week – but Sinner’s entrance, a couple of minutes after Fritz, is another level as 12,000 spectators rise to their feet to salute their numero uno, with the stands teeming with orange wigs, Italian flags and of course the die-hard carrots. There isn’t a spare seat in the house.

Darkness has descended in the Inalpi Arena and Virginia Bocelli returns to sing the Italian national anthem. And for the last time this week we’ve got the giant screens showing a tennis ball bouncing to the sound of a heartbeat. Sinner and Fritz’s hearts must be beating pretty loudly too right now. They’re waiting in the wings as montages of both players are played to the crowd.

Raducanu’s got the first set on the board in Malaga, 6-0 over Rebecca Marino in just 28 minutes. Marino leads 2-1 on serve in the second.

The players haven’t arrived on court yet but there’s already been a spine-tingling moment with Virginia Bocelli, the 12-year-old daughter of the Italian great Andrea Boccelli, signing a rousing version of You Raise Me Up. Sinner and Fritz should be out in a few minutes.

Fritz says:

I trust my game and I trust my level. I don’t feel anywhere near as uncomfortable in these situations any more because I’ve been putting myself in these situations against the top guys at big events a lot lately. I’m really confident in my game.

The US Open final felt like I was kind of just trying to keep myself in with my serve, stay alive, win points by hitting big shots or playing off of his errors. Kind of just like not repeatable, consistent ways to win points.

The match we played here, I felt much more comfortable from the baseline. 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.

Sinner says:

Very similar circumstances and moments because we played already in the round robin and now the final but I just try to play the best I can [today]. Everything can happen. I’m just happy to be back here [in the final]. From last year now, I feel like I have more experience, I’ve grown as a player and hopefully [today] is going to be a good day. If not, again, a very positive week. This year has been a very positive year so I’m very happy.

Road to the final.

Sinner, with his 100% record, will be feeling the fresher of the two, especially after dropping only three games yesterday in his total destruction of Casper Ruud. “Jannik hits a faster ball than Novak. He doesn’t let you breathe. Every kind of groundstroke feels like rockets,” was Ruud’s reaction.

Sinner
Group stage
Won v Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4
Won v Fritz 6-4, 6-4
Won v Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-4
Semi-final
Won v Ruud 6-1, 6-2

Fritz
Group stage
Won v Medvedev 6-4, 6-3
Lost v Sinner 6-4, 6-4
Won v De Minaur 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
Semi-final
Won v Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3)

Back to Turin, and Fritz is the first American to reach the season-ending final since 2006, when James Blake lost to Roger Federer, while Pete Sampras was the last player from the US to win the title in 1999 when he beat his compatriot Andre Agassi in Hanover. There’s a signature Sampras slam duck or two and a peak Agassi backhand winner or two or three in these highlights.

Australia are out though:

Meanwhile over in Malaga, Britain, who have never won the Billie Jean King Cup, are facing defending champions Canada in the last eight. The first match between Emma Raducanu and Rebecca Marino is under way and Raducanu’s raced into a 4-0 lead in the opening set. Katie Boulter v Leylah Fernandez will follow, with a potential doubles between Olivia Nicholls/Heather Watson and Fernandez/Gaby Dabrowski if needed to decide the tie.

Our tennis correspondent Tumaini Carayol is there:

The doubles champions have already been crowned in Turin, with the eighth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz shocking the world No 1 pairing of Croatia’s Mate Pavic and El Salvador’s Marcelo Arévalo, who knocked out Britain’s Wimbledon champion Henry Patten and his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara yesterday. Krawietz and Pütz won 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6) to become the first Germans to claim the season-ending title.

Preamble

Buonasera! And welcome to our coverage of Sinner v Fritz part due. Just five days after Sinner’s 6-4, 6-4 victory over the American in the group stage, the pair go at it again, this time with the title on the line.

Sinner’s appearance in this final is, of course, no surprise; the Italian’s been the man of the week, with a perfect record of four straight-sets wins, and indeed the man of 2024, securing two grand slams, five other titles and the year-end world No 1 ranking despite the cloud of his ongoing drug case hanging over him. Adding the season-ending title in front of an adoring home crowd in Turin, 12 months after he lost in the final to Novak Djokovic, has almost felt preordained.

But the big-serving Fritz, emboldened by his inspired performance against the in-form Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals, will be focused on rewriting the script. The way he stayed calm in the clutch moments yesterday, including the final-set tie-break, was hugely impressive and if the world No 5 does the same today we could have an absorbing final – especially as the only real difference between him and Sinner on Tuesday was that the top seed dealt with the pressure points better. Fritz for sure was stronger than in September’s US Open final against Sinner, and that will give him hope.

Is it the hope that kills you or, in the words of Ted Lasso, the lack of hope that kills you? I’m siding with Ted here – Fritz said after his win over Zverev that he now believes he can mix it with the best in the game and I think that gives him a chance today, even though Sinner, the purist of ball strikers with a penchant for the biggest occasions, is very much the favourite.

Sinner will get the Italian party started/Fritz will attempt to spoil it: from 6pm local time/5pm GMT.

To get you in the mood: here are the highlight’s from Tuesday’s encounter.

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