Italy’s Jannik Sinner capped off a remarkable season by winning the ATP Finals title in Turin on Sunday, defeating American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 for his first-ever title at the season-ending tournament.
The world No. 1, who fired 14 aces in the final, added the prestigious trophy to his already impressive collection of seven titles this year, which includes his first two Grand Slam wins at the Australian Open and US Open.
“It’s amazing,” Sinner said after the match. “It’s been an incredible week. This is my first title in Italy, so it’s very, very special. The level of tennis was so high, and at times I couldn’t have played better. I’m extremely happy.”
At 23, Sinner became the first Italian to win the ATP Finals. He is also the third player in history, after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, to win the Australian Open, US Open, and season-ending championship in the same year. Additionally, he’s the first man to win the ATP Finals without dropping a set since Ivan Lendl in 1986.
Sinner had previously beaten Fritz in the US Open final and in their round-robin encounter in Turin, but the American entered the final with confidence after defeating Alexander Zverev in the semis.
Although Fritz played well, Sinner proved too strong, winning with the same 6-4, 6-4 scoreline as their earlier match in the group stage.
Fritz, who had criticized his performance in the US Open final, where he struggled with his serve and nerves, started the match on a positive note with an ace. But Sinner, supported by the loud crowd at the Inalpi Arena, was the first to break, claiming a crucial 4-3 lead in the opening set after a long rally and Fritz’s unsuccessful fightback from 15-40.
Serving for the first set, Sinner saved a set point and converted his second opportunity to take the lead.
Fritz, who will rise to a career-high No. 4 ranking on Monday, continued to serve well in the second set, but Sinner’s game remained rock solid. At 2-2, Fritz made a crucial mistake, sending a drop shot into the net to give Sinner a break point. Although Fritz saved the first with a powerful serve, Sinner capitalized on a second chance, with Fritz sending a forehand long to gift the break.
From there, Sinner never looked in danger, sealing the win with his steady play to finish the year with 26 wins in his last 27 matches.
“Congrats to Jannik and his team,” said Fritz. “He played an incredible match with great tennis. It’s been a fantastic week for me.”
