World number one Jannik Sinner will face Taylor Fritz in the ATP Finals title match as he attempts to become the first Italian to win the season-ending tournament.
Sinner booked his place in Sunday’s final with a clinical 6-1 6-2 victory over Norwegian Casper Ruud in Turin.
That came after a determined Fritz defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-3) – his fourth win over the German second seed this year alone.
He is the first American to reach the final since 2006, when James Blake lost to Roger Federer, while Pete Sampras was the last player from the country to win the title in 1999.
“I’m very happy with today’s performance, I’m very happy to be in the final,” said Italian Sinner, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the final last year.
“I’m just going to try to play as well as I can tomorrow, anything can happen.
“I feel like I have more experience, I’ve grown as a player and hopefully tomorrow will be a good day.”
Top seed Sinner is yet to drop a set in Turin as he looks for an impressive end to a year that has seen him win his first two Grand Slam titles but also become embroiled in an ongoing doping controversy.
The 23-year-old controlled proceedings from the first point against Ruud, who has never won a set in three meetings at the Australian Open and the US Open champion.
Sinner broke at the first opportunity, with a powerful forehand that the Norwegian could not return, on his way to a 3-0 lead with only three points lost.
Ruud, the 2022 runner-up, slowed the pace with a love hold but was left to rue two unconverted break points of his own when Sinner broke again before serving out the set with little challenge.
The Italian’s dominance was so great: Ruud’s points total at the end of the opener was a modest 12.
Things didn’t get much easier for him in the second set as Sinner broke for a 3-2 lead, before a forehand cross-court winner gave him a double break up in Ruud’s next service game.
He saw out the match without dropping another point, his place in the championship match sealed with his ninth ace of the day.
Fritz ends Zverev’s perfect run
French Open finalist Zverev, riding an eight-match winning streak after winning the Paris Masters title earlier in November, was through to the semi-finals in Turin and his serve was not broken in all three of his group matches.
But that would change against an inspired Fritz. Although he saved his first break point chance, it wasn’t until his second that Zverev could hit a blistering forehand into the net as the American took a 4-2 lead.
Nervously, the German took just one point from Fritz’s serve for the remainder of the opening set.
After a hold to love from Zverev in the first game of the second, drama ensued on Fritz’s serve when the chair umpire ruled the ball had bounced twice before a diving Zverev made contact.
The 27-year-old requested a review which, after a long wait, greeted by cheers and whistles from the crowd, proved that he had reached the ball in time and the point was replayed.
Two games later, Zverev secured the break that would decide the second set as a powerful forehand while on the back foot proved too much for Fritz to wander back over the net.
In the deciding set, only three points were lost on serve during the first four games before Fritz survived the triple break point.
Zverev later endured a nerve-wracking match of his own, saving three break points before failing to convert two at 5-5 after Fritz had blown a 40-15 lead.
A hold at love from the German forced the tiebreak, but it was Fritz who took control from then on, taking a point off Zverev at the first opportunity, before a stunning forehand on match point ensured his Tour season continued would take one time. day.
Looking at the final, Fritz – who lost to Sinner in the US Open final in September – said: “I trust my game and I trust my level.
“I don’t feel so uncomfortable in these situations anymore because I’ve often put myself in these situations against the top guys at big events lately. I’m really confident in my game.”
Meanwhile, Briton Henry Patten and his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara were eliminated from the doubles in a narrow 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-4) semi-final defeat to top seeds Croatian Mate Pavic and El Marcelo Arevalo from Salvador.
