Final Preview ATP Finals 2024 Turin: Can Taylor Fritz break Jannik Sinner’s impeccable form?

Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz will face off to determine the new ATP Finals champion. The World No. 1 cruised through his semifinal against Casper Ruud, while the American battled hard to secure a hard-fought victory over Alexander Zverev.

The Italian leads their head-to-head 3-1, including their most recent meeting just a few days ago in the Round Robin (6-4, 6-4). They will meet in another final, three months after Sinner claimed the US Open title in straight sets.

Since the Cincinnati Open in mid-August, Sinner has won 24 of his last 25 matches, with the only exception being the China Open final against Carlos Alcaraz. Following an extraordinary season, Sinner remains unstoppable, boasting a 69-6 record and seven titles in 2024. This week in Turin, the crowd’s support has been palpable. All his wins have been straightforward, and he has yet to drop a set, winning 48 of the 73 games he has played (66%).

In the group stage, he defeated Alex De Minaur, Daniil Medvedev, and Fritz. Advancing as the group leader, Sinner delivered arguably his most impressive performance of the week against Casper Ruud, whom he defeated 6-1, 6-2 in just one hour and 10 minutes. Sinner won 74% of his service points and 54% of his return points, hitting 22 winners and committing only 12 unforced errors.

Facing him is the surprising finalist Taylor Fritz, who came through a tight match against World No. 2 Alexander Zverev. The World No. 5 fired 15 aces, landed 72% of his first serves, and won 84% of those points. Despite Zverev holding serve with ease for much of the match, Fritz patiently waited for his opportunities and was more aggressive during the closing stages when the German faltered.

Wins against Medvedev and De Minaur in the group stage gave Fritz the confidence to eliminate a Zverev who seemed favoured before the match. However, the recent US Open runner-up had no answers against Sinner, who consistently outplayed him in rallies and delivered on the big points.

Fritz’s only win against Sinner came back in Indian Wells 2021, where the Italian also entered as the favourite, seeded 10th against the 31st-seeded Fritz. However, today’s Sinner is a far cry from the player he was three years ago, as he consistently demonstrates why he is the deserved World No. 1.

The two-time Grand Slam champion entered the tournament as the overwhelming favourite, with his biggest threats appearing to be Alcaraz and Zverev. However, both were eliminated before a clash with Sinner. Against Fritz, the gap seems even wider, and if Sinner maintains his level from this past week (and practically the entire season), it will be a monumental challenge for the American—one he can only match if he delivers one of the best performances of his career.