In a historic moment for Italian tennis, home favorite and world number one Jannik Sinner secured his maiden ATP Finals title by defeating American Taylor Fritz with a decisive 6-4, 6-4 victory on Sunday.
Sinner, who faced disappointment in last year's final against Novak Djokovic, showcased impeccable form this time around, finishing the tournament undefeated and without dropping a single set. His stellar performance earned him a prize of $4,881,500.
The final match was a rematch of this year's US Open final, where 23-year-old Sinner demonstrated his tactical prowess by breaking Fritz's serve with a precise drop shot, gaining a 4-3 lead. He further dominated the opener with his 10th ace of the match.
Taylor Fritz, marking the first American to reach the ATP Finals final since James Blake in 2006, struggled to maintain his serve, notably hitting a forehand long in the second set. This allowed Sinner to conclusively win the match in just 85 minutes.
Sinner's remarkable year has been a mix of triumph and controversy, with an anti-doping scandal shadowing his achievements. Nevertheless, on the court, he has been nearly unstoppable, triumphing in 26 of his last 27 matches and securing a tour-leading eight titles.
With his 70th win of the season, Sinner made history as the first player to win the ATP Finals without dropping a set since Ivan Lendl in 1986.
Despite Fritz's loss, he is set to achieve a career-high ranking of fourth when the new rankings are released on Monday.
In doubles, Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz emerged victorious, defeating Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic 7-6(5), 7-6(6). This win marks the first time a German pair has clinched the ATP Finals doubles title.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
