Jannik Sinner Becomes First Italian to Win ATP Finals
Italy’s Jannik Sinner made history on Sunday by defeating American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 to win the ATP Finals in Turin. This victory marks Sinner as the first Italian man to claim the season-ending title.
The world No. 1 served 14 aces in the final, adding the ATP Finals trophy to his remarkable 2024 season, which includes his first two Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and US Open.
“It’s amazing,” said Sinner. “This is my first title in Italy, and it’s very special. The level of tennis this week has been so high, and I’m very, very happy.”
A Record-Breaking Season
At 23 years old, Sinner joins legends Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only players to win the Australian Open, US Open, and ATP Finals in the same year. He is also the first man since Ivan Lendl in 1986 to win the ATP Finals without dropping a set.
Sinner had already beaten Fritz twice this year, including in the US Open final and the round-robin stage in Turin. Despite Fritz’s strong semi-final win against Alexander Zverev, Sinner proved too dominant, securing victory in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
Key Moments in the Match
The crowd at the Inalpi Arena cheered loudly as Sinner broke Fritz’s serve at 4-3 in the first set. Sinner held off a set point before taking the opener on his second chance.
In the second set, Fritz kept things close early, but Sinner’s pressure was relentless. A forehand error by Fritz at 2-2 gave Sinner the crucial break. Sinner maintained his composure, confidently serving out the match to end his season with 26 wins from his last 27 matches.
Fritz’s Reaction
Fritz, who will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 4 on Monday, praised Sinner after the match. “Congrats to Jannik and his team. He played incredible tennis. It’s been a great week for me,” said the American.
Looking Ahead
Sinner’s triumph was further celebrated with the announcement that the ATP Finals will remain in Italy until 2030. The victory cements Sinner’s status as one of the sport’s brightest stars and caps off a historic year for the Italian.
Italy has gone from a nobody in tennis to a power in this century. Besides Jannik Sinner, Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone won Grand Slams, Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani won a career Grand Slam in doubles, Italy has won 4 Billie Jean King Cups and is on the verge of a fifth. Jasmine Paolini (number 4) and Sara Errani won Olympic Gold in doubles in Paris and Roberta Vinci pulled off the upset of the century defeating Serena Williams in the semifinals of the US Open in 2015 and thereby leaving Steffi Graf as the only tennis player, man… Read more »
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