ATP Finals: Jannik Sinner matches these legends after beating Fritz
Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner is a step away from making it to the semi-finals of the ongoing ATP Finals in Turin. He bolstered his chances after beating American star Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the year-end championship. Sinner's win was a repeat of their last meeting in September at the US Open final, where the Italian won in straight sets. With another win, Sinner has entered an elite list of players.
Sinner's strategic moves secure victory over Fritz
In the first set, even though Fritz got the first break point in the seventh game, he failed to convert it. Sinner quickly bounced back but conceded three break points. He broke to 15 in the 10th game and won the set. The second set was no different, with Sinner claiming victory when Fritz double-faulted on his first match point.
Sinner joins Federer, Djokovic on this list
As per Opta, Sinner has become only the third player in the Open Era to win 47+ ATP matches on hard court in successive seasons after Roger Federer (2005-06) and Novak Djokovic (2012-13, 15-16).
Sinner credits crowd support for his victory
During the match, Sinner credited the passionate Turin crowd for his win. He said, "The crowd is helping me a lot." The support was a welcome change from their last meeting where he had to deal with loud home support for Fritz. Despite Fritz's early pressure on his serve, Sinner turned the tables and won each set.
Sinner leads Ilie Nastase group, faces Medvedev next
Sinner's win over Fritz has placed him atop the Ilie Nastase group. He will now take on Daniil Medvedev in his next match. Sinner earlier beat Alex de Minaur in his first match to boost his campaign. The latter will next take on Fritz in a bid to win his first match in the ongoing tournament.
