World No. 1 Jannik Sinner made it two wins out of two at the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Finals as he fought off Taylor Fritz in a high-octane clash inside the Inalpi Arena on Tuesday.
In a thrilling rematch of September's U.S. Open final, home favorite Sinner delighted a raucous crowd with a 6-4, 6-4 victory, marking the best match of the tournament so far.
American World No. 5 Taylor Fritz went toe-to-toe with Sinner throughout the contest, which was ultimately decided by slender margins with one break of serve in each set.
Sinner made the decisive break in the opening set when Fritz served at 5-4, bringing up a set point with a disguised drop shot and then converting at the first opportunity.
Despite Fritz's resilience in the second set, Sinner showcased fearless tennis, especially when he fell 30-0 down on serve at 3-3, ultimately clinching the victory in one hour and 40 minutes.
Bidding to become the first Italian to win the prestigious year-ending tournament after reaching the final last year, Sinner now tops the Ilie Nastase Group with two straight-set wins and looks odds on to reach the semi-finals.
Fritz is tied on one win with Russian Daniil Medvedev, who earlier beat Australian debutant Alex de Minaur to keep himself in contention for a semifinal spot.
\"It was a very tough match, we both knew exactly what to expect,\" Sinner said after his 67th victory of the season. \"He was very aggressive. I managed to serve very well in the crucial moments. I'm happy how I handled the tough situations like at 3-3 in the second set when the momentum could have changed if he had broken me.\"
Reference(s):
Inspired Sinner battles past Fritz to claim second win at ATP Finals
cgtn.com
