US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz reached another important final by advancing to the ATP Finals title match with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3) win over Germany’s Alexander Zverev on Saturday.
Fritz became the first American finalist in the event that hosts the top eight men’s tennis players since James Blake lost the 2006 final to Roger Federer.
The last American to win the trophy was Pete Sampras in 1999.
“I trust my game and my level and I don’t feel so uncomfortable in these situations anymore because lately I’ve been playing a lot against the best in big events,” Fritz said. “I’m feeling more comfortable in the moment. “I’m really, really confident in my game.”
In Sunday’s final, Fritz will face the winner of the duel between number one ranked Jannik Sinner and Casper Ruud, who play later.
Sinner beat Fritz in the US Open final and this week also beat him in straight sets in the group stage of the ATP Finals.
Fritz’s performance in New York led him to become the first American man to reach a Grand Slam final in 15 years. He is participating in the finals for the second time. In his debut two years ago, he beat Rafael Nadal in his first match and reached the semi-finals which he lost to Novak Djokovic.
“It’s incredible to come back and surpass the previous stage,” said Fritz. “I’m always trying to do better than the year before.”
It was Fritz’s fourth consecutive victory over Zverev, who replaced Carlos Alcaraz at No. 2 in the rankings this week.
Fritz, current world number 5, also beat Zverev at Wimbledon and the US Open, as well as the Laver Cup.
It was a confrontation between two tennis players with the best serves with Fritz, 1.96 meters tall, and Zverev, 1.98 meters tall. When Fritz broke Zverev’s serve to take a 4-2 lead in the first set, it marked the first time Zverev had lost a serve game in four matches in Turin.
Eventually, however, the match became a physical duel from the baseline. Fritz came back from 0-40 down and held serve to go up 3-2 in the third after a nine-minute game filled with long rallies, even winning one that went almost 30 strokes.
Fritz was under pressure every game of his serve, but somehow managed to hold on. He took an early lead in the tiebreaker and sealed the game with a bold forehand winner to the outside on his first match point.
Zverev, champion of the finals in 2018 and 2021, reached the semifinals on an eight-match winning streak after winning the Paris Masters.
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This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.
