Fritz conquers Zverev to reach maiden Nitto ATP Finals championship match
Fritz eliminates Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 in semis
Taylor Fritz from California, is competing in his second season-ending championships having first qualified in 2022. The #5 player in the world has had a stellar season winning two titles (Delray Beach & Eastbourne) and reaching his first grand slam final at the US Open (l. Sinner).
Over the course of ten months, the twenty-seven-year-old has eliminated Alexander Zverev three times in four events and led the head-to-head 6-5. Zverev from Germany and a two-time ATP Finals champion (2018 & 2021) also had an outstanding season, winning two Masters 1000 events (Rome & Paris), while reascending to #2, having first attained that ranking in June 2022.
While they have played on all surfaces this season, Fritz won their last and only indoor hard court match in September at the Laver Cup. Zverev was eager to rewrite the script in Turin having lost to the American in five in the round of 16 at Wimbledon and in four in the quarters at the US Open.
Although he lost to world #1 Jannik Sinner, Fritz reached the knockout round with wins over Daniil Medvedev and Alex de Minaur. Zverev reached the penultimate round with three impressive straight-set wins over Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, and Carlos Alcaraz.
Fritz won the toss and elected to serve. He gifted a double fault but held to 30 with two consecutive aces, while Zverev hit four winners including two consecutive aces to level. Fritz opened the third with his third ace and held at love for 2-1. Zverev opened the fourth with an overhead smash and held to 15 to level.
Imago
The American ripped a forehand down the line and held to 30 for 3-2 while the German faced deuce, two break points, and dumped serve when Fritz crushed a crosscourt forehand.
Fritz was on fire as he struck his fourth ace and consolidated the break at love. Zverev serving with new balls hit his third ace and held at love for 3-5. Fritz opened the ninth with his fifth ace and with another reached triple set point and converted when Zverev overcooked a backhand.
The German served first in the second and held at love with an ace up the tee. Fritz hit three consecutive winners including another ace to level. Zverev held to 30 for 2-1 despite netting two consecutive backhands off deep returns. Fritz hit three winners including another ace but dropped serve following three unforced errors.
The world #2 pummeled a forehand down the line and consolidated the break at love while Fritz struck his 8th ace and held to 15 for 2-4. Zverev opened the seventh with his fifth ace but faced two deuce and break point before holding with an ace out wide.
Fritz serving to stay in the set with new balls hit two additional aces and held to 15 while Zverev secured the set 6-3 with three outstanding winners including two aces.
The American served first in the decider and with two consecutive aces and a backhand volley, held at love while Zverev gifted his first double fault but held to 15 to level.
Fritz held easily to 15 with his thirteenth ace while Zverev struck his ninth to level. The world #5 donated two consecutive backhand errors, faced triple break point, four in total, and four deuce points yet held for 3-2.
Zverev unloaded on an inside-out forehand and held at love for 3-3 while Fritz committed three consecutive forehand errors, faced deuce yet held. Zverev serving with new balls opened the eighth with a backhand winner but with three backhand errors, faced double break point. After reaching deuce he faced another break point with a double fault but eked out the hold with two spectacular winners.
As the tension and noise inside Inalpi Arena continued to mount, Fritz struck two winners including an ace up the tee to lead 5-4. Zverev serving to stay in the match made 4/5 first serves and leveled with an incredible inside-out forehand.
Fritz opened with a monster serve up the tee but faced four deuce and two break points before holding for 6-5. The German serving to stay in the match and force the breaker, hit two extraordinary winners to open and clinch the game at love.
Fritz raced to a 4-1 lead before Zverev reached 3-4 with an inside-in forehand winner. The American reached triple match point when Zverev whiffed a forehand and secured it with a marvelous inside-out forehand.
It was a scintillating, high-stakes slugfest that kept the Turin crowd on the edge of their seats. Taylor Fritz in just his second appearance at the season-ending championships will play for the trophy, 500 ranking points, and a huge paycheck.
He patiently rode the swings in momentum and played fearlessly when it most mattered. He out-aced his opponent 15/10 while winning 85% of first and 33% of second serve points. He saved 6/7 break points while converting 1/6. While both incredulously finished with ninety-seven points, Fritz converted his first of three match points.
Awaiting in the final is world #1 and reigning US Open champion and 2023 Nitto ATP Finals runner-up, Jannik Sinner, or world #7 and 2022 Nitto ATP Finals runner-up, Casper Ruud.
Sinner leads Fritz 3-1 in the head-to-head including the round-robin win and the US Open final. Ruud leads the American 2-1 in the head-to-head with Fritz scoring a four-set win in the 4th round in September en route to the final at Flushing Meadows.
