Sinner Back to Nitto ATP Finals After Thrashing Ruud

16 November 2024

Jannik Sinner advanced to the final of the Nitto ATP Finals after cruising past Casper Ruud 6-1, 6-2 in the semi-finals. The Italian, buoyed by the support of his home crowd, needed just 70 minutes to dispatch Ruud in their third Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, a series Sinner now leads 3-0. With a powerful display of accuracy, depth, and shot-making, Sinner overpowered Ruud from start to finish, putting himself one win away from claiming the tournament title.

“I felt I was returning well early in each set, and once I got a break, I stayed focused on my service games,” Sinner said. “I tried to stay intense with every shot, and I’m really happy with my performance and the chance to be in the final again.”

The victory also makes Sinner the youngest player since 2002, when Lleyton Hewitt was 20, to reach at least two finals at the year-end event. Sinner will now face Taylor Fritz for the title, after Fritz defeated Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final.

Sinner has won 25 of his last 26 matches and beat Fritz in straight sets earlier in the round-robin stage. He’ll look to become the first undefeated champion at the event since Novak Djokovic in 2018, and possibly claim his ninth title of the season.

Asked about the final, Sinner stated, “It’s a very similar circumstance to last year as we have already played in the round-robin. I just try to play the best I can tomorrow,” Sinner said. “From last year to now I feel I have more experience and have grown as a player. Hopefully it will be a good day after a very positive week and a very positive year.”

Sinner hits a backhand during his singles tennis match against Casper Ruud at the ATP World Tour Finals in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024.

The Norwegian, who had previously defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the round-robin stage, had a chance to break Sinner at 3-1, 30/40, but missed an easy backhand, sending it wide when Sinner appeared stranded at the net. From that point, the Italian capitalized, delivering a performance that has become familiar to both fans and fellow players alike.

Sinner fired 23 winners and made just nine unforced errors, controlling the match with his rock-solid backhand and powerful forehand. He relentlessly moved Ruud from side to side, dictating the pace of the match and eventually sealing the win. After clinching victory, Sinner raised his arms in triumph.

Ruud was competing in the semi-finals in Turin for the third time, having reached the final in 2022, where he lost to Djokovic. The 25-year-old finishes the season ranked No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings, a career-high, thanks in part to winning the Geneva and Barcelona titles.

Having already secured the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honor, Sinner will look to cap off his remarkable season on Sunday with a win over Fritz in the final. Afterward, he’ll head to the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga next week to close out the year.

In the other semi-final, Taylor Fritz became the first American to reach the Nitto ATP Finals title match since James Blake in 2006, defeating World No. 2 Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3) in a gripping semi-final in Turin. The fifth seed delivered a standout performance, hitting 32 winners and breaking Zverev’s serve for the first time all week. Fritz secured his fourth straight win over Zverev after two hours and 20 minutes of play, sealing the match in a dramatic third-set tiebreak where Zverev made 3 uncharacteristic errors in key moments.

This victory sends Fritz into his fifth final of the season, which moves him to No.4 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, marking his first Top 5 finish and the first time an American has ended the year in the Top 5 since Blake in 2006.

Fritz dominated early, winning 95% of his first-serve points in the opening set. Despite a second-set comeback from Zverev, Fritz held firm in the decider, saving crucial break points to close out the match on his first match point.

Taylor Fritz prepares to hit a forehand during his singles tennis match against Alexander Zverev at the ATP World Tour Finals in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024.