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Sinner fends off Fritz with assured win in Turin

Jannik Sinner's quest to bookend his standout season with a Nitto ATP Finals trophy continued on Tuesday night in emphatic fashion. 

The top seed dialled in to seal 6-4, 6-4 victory over Taylor Fritz in a pulsating clash at the season finale, moving him to 2-0 in the Ilie Nastase Group. After a fast start from Fritz, home favourite Sinner delivered an assured performance to the 12,000 fans cheering him on inside the Inalpi Arena.  

“It was a very tough match, we got to know each other very well in a Grand Slam final,” said Sinner, who defeated Fritz in this year’s US Open championship match. “We knew exactly what to expect today, he was very aggressive and I was prepared.

“I just tried to serve very well in the important moments, which I did. That was a very crucial game in the second set, I was down 0/30. If he breaks me there, the momentum could change.”

FORZZZAAAA JANNIK ????

World No. 1 @janniksin secures his second win at this year's #NittoATPFinals, defeating Fritz 6-4 6-4!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/NcC7hryLjz

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Alcaraz & Rublev meet again in Turin

The 2024 Nitto ATP Finals continue to close in on the knockout rounds with Wednesday's action, as players in the John Newcombe Group take to the Inalpi Arena for their second round-robin matches.

Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev both seek their first wins of the week in a critical afternoon matchup, before Day 2 winners Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud battle it out in the evening for top spot in the group. The Day 4 doubles action will see top seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic face Matthew Ebden and Rohan Bopanna, before Italians Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli play Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.

[ATP APP]

[3] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [8] Andrey Rublev
Alcaraz struggled with lingering effects of a stomach illness in his opening defeat to Ruud, but the round-robin format of the Nitto ATP Finals could provide the cure. Rather than being sent home with his opening defeat, the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings has a chance to recover and advance to the knockout rounds in Turin.

"Given how I’ve felt, it’s difficult to think about the semis," Alcaraz said on Monday. "The good thing in this sport is that your game can feel very bad one day and very good the next."

Last year in his Turin debut, Alcaraz lost to Zverev in his opening match before rebounding to reach the semis. He began to turn his tournament around by beating Rublev in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

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'It is the year of Jannik', Carota Boys ready for Sinner show in Turin

The atmosphere built to fever pitch levels at the Nitto ATP Finals on Tuesday night, when fans made their way inside the Inalpi Arena to watch Italian star Jannik Sinner take to court in Turin.

The home favourite, who faces Taylor Fritz, is competing in Italy for the first time this season after missing Rome due to injury. Unsurprisingly Sinner’s fan club, The Carota Boys, were in the house to watch their guy.

“We are really excited because Jannik is playing in Italy for the first time this year. We are excited to see him with the Italian crowd,” said Carota Boy member Alessandro Dedominic, who has travelled around the world watching the Italian this year. “It is the year of Jannik, it is unbelievable. Two Grand Slam crowns, World No. 1. He has a good chance here because indoor conditions are good for him. I think he played really well in the first match and has a great chance to win the title.”

The Carota Boys have become famous in the tennis world for showing up at tournaments in carrot costumes. The act stems from a changeover in Vienna four years ago when the Italian chowed down on a whole carrot, with Sinner joking in the past that The Carota Boys are more famous than him.

Sinner reached the final in Turin last year. Twelve months on and the Italian returns as the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, lifting majors at the Australian Open and the US Open in 2024.

a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jannik-sinner/s0ag/overview'Jannik Sinner/a fans
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Koolhof/Mektic save MP in Turin turnaround triumph

Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic came back from the brink to rejuvenate their Nitto ATP Finals campaign on Tuesday evening in Turin.

The Dutch-Croatian pair bounced back from an opening loss at the prestigious season finale by saving a match point to down second seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 4-6, 7-6(6), 10-8. Koolhof and Mektic crucially held their nerve across the business end of the match to improve to 1-1 in Mike Bryan Group.

“It was a huge battle from the beginning,” reflected Mektic. “We fought. We had some chances in the second set to break, but it didn’t happen. We were somehow holding our serves. Then both tie-breaks went really far. The first one was [8-6], we saved the match point, and we just pushed each other every point. Every point was vital in the end and it went our way.”

A pair of FIGHTERS ?@wesleykoolhof & @NMektic keep their hopes alive in Turin with a crucial victory!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/7HyUrUnuwI

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 12, 2024

On the cusp of a straight-sets defeat that would have eliminated them from the tournament, Koolhof and Mektic reeled off three consecutive points from 5/6 in the second-set tie-break to force a decider inside Inalpi Arena. The emotional driving force of the comeback was Koolhof, whose desire to keep alive his chances of winning a title in the final ATP Tour event of his career was clear to see.

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Bopanna & Ebden seek fairytale finish to partnership in Turin

Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden’s two-year partnership is coming to and at the Nitto ATP Finals this week, and they are preparing to finish with a flourish, despite dropping their opening group match. 

The Indian-Australian duo knows what it takes to win big titles, and 2024 was no different. Bopanna and Ebden raced out the blocks in a blistering start to the season which saw them both reach No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings after clinch the Australian Open trophy. 

“I think it would be beautiful to finish the year with a title, especially [with] the way we started off this year,” Bopanna told ATPTour.com. “It has been an up and down journey. We had a great first three months, and then we had a few challenges along the way in terms of our performance."

Battling a mid-season slump, Bopanna and Ebden ignited deep runs at big events, including the semi-finals at Roland Garros, to secure their spot at the Nitto ATP Finals and put them in contention to end on a high. Bopanna, who became the oldest player to reach World No. 1 at 43 in January, has twice triumphed at the season-ending finale.

This year, the Indian is seeking a hat-trick for what would be Ebden’s maiden trophy at the prestigious event.

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After Alcaraz upset, Ruud visits The Green Wall

Casper Ruud made waves at the Nitto ATP Finals on Monday, when he stunned Carlos Alcaraz at the Inalpi Arena.

With his day off Tuesday, the Norwegian checked out the area surrounding the venue, paying a visit to The Green Wall next to the Fan Village.

The Green Wall is a sustainability-focused installation designed with live plants, which invites fans to engage directly with the theme of sustainability. Fans are able to take photos in front of the wall before it is relocated within Turin after the tournament.

Watch Ruud vs. Alcaraz Highlights:

The Nitto ATP Finals Torino Green Project champions the event’s sustainability efforts and supports the local city. Turin has committed to reaching climate neutrality by 2030 and is one of the European Commission’s 100 ‘Mission Cities’.

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Photo Gallery: Sinner claims year-end No. 1 trophy

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Medvedev outfoxes De Minaur to open account in Turin

Daniil Medvedev further outlined his credentials as one of the Tour’s sharpest tacticians on Tuesday at the Nitto ATP Finals.

The fourth seed produced an expertly measured performance to prevail 6-2, 6-4 over Alex de Minaur and get up and running at the season finale. Medvedev, the 2020 champion, had all the answers in a chess-like battle to improve to 7-3 in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry. 

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Classic @DaniilMedwed ?#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/tfEhrYRmQ7

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 12, 2024

Medvedev looked transformed from the erratic player who fell to a straight-sets defeat by Taylor Fritz in his opening-round match. In his clash with De Minaur, he did not face a single break point, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and outhit his opponent 24 winners to 10.

“I went into this match blocking the noise, even from myself,” said Medvedev, who is making his sixth consecutive appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals. “I really didn’t care what was happening on the court, I just tried to play, and it was a good feeling. Sometimes it’s good to block it [the noise], and I did that well today.

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Sinner's stunning stat that no other player comes close to matching...

Jannik Sinner is the comeback kid.

The 23-year-old Italian has dropped the opening set 14 times over the past 12 months. He has remarkably won 11 of those matches. An ATP Infosys Beyond The Numbers analysis of the Top 100 in the PIF ATP Rankings over the past 52 weeks identifies Sinner as the only player to possess a winning record after failing to win the opening set of his match.

It’s a stunning statistic that positions the 23-year-old Italian head and shoulders above his rivals with the ability to turn around matches that were initially not going his way. The table below shows the leading 10 players from the past 52 weeks coming back to win the match after dropping the opening set.

Past 52 weeks. Winning The Match After Losing The First Set

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Player % Won W/L
J. Sinner 78.6% 11-3
A. Zverev 50.0% 18-18
C. Alcaraz 47.1% 8-9
A. De Minaur 46.2% 12-14
H. Medjedovic 45.5% 5-6
H. Hurkacz 41.7% 10-14
B. Shelton 40.6% 13-19
J. Shang 40.0% 6-9
D. Medvedev 38.5% 10-16
T. Paul 36.8% 7-12

Sinner is the only player with a winning record after losing set one. Alexander Zverev is the only player to at least break even, winning 18 matches while also losing 18. The rest of the pack are all in a deficit.

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Heliovaara & Patten continue love affair with Turin

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten are signing off their dream season in style at the Nitto ATP Finals in what feels like a full-circle moment.

Their third title as a pair came at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Turin in May, their fifth tournament as a team. Fast forward to the prestigious season finale, and the Wimbledon champions now lead the Mike Bryan Group with a perfect 2-0 record on their debut team appearance.

“We have fond memories of Turin,” Patten, 28, told ATPTour.com. “It’s fantastic to be back. We had good success [at the Challenger], we beat guys like Nathaniel Lammons/Jackson Withrow and Neal Skupski on our way to the trophy there.

“Harri, in his victory speech there, said we hope to be back in a few months' time, and here we are. It’s been an amazing season for us.”

 Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara in action on Day 7 of the 2024 Piemonte Open on May 19, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Mike Lawrence/ATP Tour)

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Champions On Champions: 'Can I move like Demon?' Fritz & De Minaur don't hold back!

Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur were not afraid to hold back ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where they sat down and joked with each other, answering a series of savage questions.

The American and Australian, who will face off in the Ilie Nastaste Group Thursday, played nicely to start, praising each other’s games

“Can I move like Demon? Can I take that? I just want to move like Demon,” Fritz said when asked about the De Minaur’s on-court attributes.

“I just want to serve like Taylor,” De Minaur replied with a smile. “Then we are set. That is what makes a champion.”

However, things quickly heated up during ‘Savage Mode’. The questions got spicier, with both giving an honest assessment of each other’s skills. Watch the video below to see the full exchange.

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Heliovaara/Patten stay perfect on Nitto ATP Finals debut

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten maintained their red-hot start to the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals on Tuesday, when the Finnish-British pair downed Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson 7-6(3), 7-5.

Seeking a repeat of their Wimbledon championship-match victory against Purcell and Thompson, Heliovaara and Patten seized control of a tight contest in the first-set tie-break, during which they won six of seven points from 1/2 to move a set ahead. After notching a break to love in the fifth game of the second set, they seemed set to seal an ultimately comfortable win, but a rare sloppy service game from Patten at 5-4 allowed their opponents back into the contest.

The British lefty did not have to wait long to redeem himself. In the very next game, he fired a return winner down the line on a crucial deuce deciding point to earn another break of serve. From there, Heliovaara served out to love to cap a 96-minute victory in style.

Keep on Rollin' ??

No. 3 seeds Harri Heliovaara & Henry Patten remain undefeated in the Mike Bryan Group, by defeating Purcell/Thompson 7-6(3) 7-5!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/36K0TpRoDx

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 12, 2024

“[Max] was struggling a little bit with his body, but our energy was fantastic as it always is and we got over the line, just about," reflected Patten on the win, during which he and Heliovaara hit 11 aces, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

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Wesley Koolhof: A farewell to tennis

Last year at Wimbledon I experienced as close to euphoria as I imagine is possible in tennis. I was playing doubles with Neal Skupski, who is from Great Britain. It was a dream of mine to play on Centre Court and it was incredible to have the opportunity to compete on such a grand stage in the championship match.

To lift the trophy in front of Neal’s home fans at The Championships made it even more special.

Winning a Grand Slam title was one of the big things I really wanted to achieve in my career. In 2020, I won the Nitto ATP Finals with Nikola Mektic. I am a six-time ATP Masters 1000 champion. In 2022, I became the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings and was part of the year-end No. 1 team. Finally, I was able to call myself a major titlist.

There was so much media attention back home and other things that went with capturing the trophy. I remember going to the Wimbledon Ball on Sunday evening, thinking about how few players earn the chance to do something like that. It was just an incredible feeling.

For the next three weeks I was home with my fiancee, former WTA player Julia Goerges, and really enjoyed that time. Less than two months after winning Wimbledon I was sitting in my hotel room in Cincinnati thinking, ‘Okay, what am I going to do now with my life?’

a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/wesley-koolhof/kc41/overview'Wesley Koolhof/a and a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/nikola-mektic/mf09/overview'Nikola Mektic/a
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What is the Nitto ATP Finals schedule for Tuesday & Wednesday?

Each Nitto ATP Finals competitor will return to Turin’s Inalpi Arena across Tuesday and Wednesday for a second taste of the action at the prestigious season finale.

Top seed Jannik Sinner will look to build on his impressive start in Ilie Nastase Group in a Tuesday evening clash against Taylor Fritz. Sinner defeated Alex de Minaur in straight-sets in his opening match but will be wary of the fifth-seeded Fritz, who also notched a comfortable first win against Daniil Medvedev.

Read Preview: Sinner, Fritz US Open final rematch headlines Turin Day 3
Read More: Becker on Sinner: 'He's the man to beat for a long time'

The 2020 Nitto ATP Finals champion Medvedev and event debutant De Minaur face off in Tuesday’s afternoon singles match in Turin. Medvedev leads the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series 6-3, although De Minaur won their only 2024 clash so far at Roland Garros.

In doubles action, Max Purcell/Jordan Thompson meet Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten in the opening match of the day, with both chasing their second victory in Mike Bryan Group. Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos take on Wesley Koolhof/Nikola Mektic in the evening match.

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Tiafoe, Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce celebrate Chiefs' win

Tennis, NFL football and pop music royalty enjoyed a rare three-way crossover on Sunday in Kansas City.

The No. 18 in the PIF ATP Rankings Frances Tiafoe and his girlfriend Ayan Broomfield spent time with celebrity couple Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift after watching the Kansas City Chiefs overcome the Denver Broncos 16-14 in the AFC West. Music superstar Swift was at the game supporting her boyfriend Kelce, who plays as a tight end for the Chiefs.

Although Tiafoe is a big Washington Commanders fan, that did not stop him and Broomfield from posting ‘Chiefsss’ on Instagram after their experience at Arrowhead Stadium.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Becker on Sinner: 'He's the man to beat for a long time'

Alongside Jannik Sinner’s ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF ceremony Monday evening at the Nitto ATP Finals, former World No. 1 Boris Becker and ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi unveiled the pioneering ‘ATP No. 1 Club’, which was created to celebrate ATP players past and present who have reached the pinnacle of the sport.

“It was a childhood dream of mine to become the very best,” Becker said. “You don’t really believe it. It took me a couple of years. I was a longtime No. 2 before I became No. 1. But to be amongst the good and the great of tennis is very special.”

 

According to Becker, he never would have imagined as a kid that climbing to the very top was possible.

“I would have said, ‘You’re crazy. It’s not possible’,” Becker said. “But here we are and I’m very happy for Andrea to have this No. 1 Club because it’s a history for the young players as well — who was here before, who paved the way a little bit to have tournaments like the [Nitto] ATP Finals in Torino.”

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View the best photos from Day 2 at the Nitto ATP Finals

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First-Time Winner Spotlight: Benjamin Bonzi

Benjamin Bonzi clinched his first ATP Tour title on home soil at the Moselle Open after defeating Cameron Norrie in the final. It was the first taste of championship-match victory at the third attempt for the Frenchman, who in 2023 reached finals at ATP 250 events in Pune and Marseille.

The 28-year-old arrived in Metz after winning ATP Challenger Tour titles in Roanne and St. Brieuc in October, during which he was also a finalist at that level in Brest.

ATPTour.com caught up with the Frenchman to discuss his maiden moment, his 2024 season, and more.

What does it mean for you to win your first ATP tour title?
I've been through two finals last year and didn't manage to win one. This is always special, to make history and win a tournament. To put your name on the list, on this beautiful tournament, after so many great players like Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or last year [when Ugo Humbert won]. That feels very great, especially after the year I have been through. Winning the title is always special. And I think winning our first ATP title is something more special, amazing.

You have won 21 out of your past 22 matches. Did you think this was possible? And what has been working so well for you?
If you had said to me that six weeks earlier, I [would] tell you that you’re a liar. But now everything is true. I felt amazing on the courts [in] the last few weeks on the Challenger Tour and the ATP Tour. I think that my level came back, especially on the on the mental part, and the way I managed all those things that I've been through on the court. I know I can face a lot of things on the court and be ready for everything. That was maybe not the case all the year. But 21 victories in the last 22 matches was amazing. I would have signed, for sure, with both ends, but that's a great end of the season, kind of a fairy tale. So, to end like this, to be back in the Top 100 and be [in the] main draw for Melbourne.

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Zverev kick-starts hat-trick hunt in Turin with dominant win

Alexander Zverev ignited his pursuit for a third Nitto ATP Finals trophy with a commanding victory on Monday evening.

The second seed locked in to defeat Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4 to open his account at the season finale in Turin. Zverev, the 2018 and 2021 champion, stood firm in the face of a fast start from Rublev to clinch his Tour-leading 67th win of 2024 in just 72 minutes. 

“I thought it was a very solid match from my end,” said Zverev, who improved to 15-9 at the Nitto ATP Finals. “Against anyone here, you have to play your best to have a chance, you have to be solid [and] mentally strong. I feel like I did that today, I felt like I used my chances quite well and I'm obviously happy with this win.”

Eyes on the prize ?

Two-time former champion @AlexZverev kick-starts his campaign in Turin in fine fashion!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/TCR8yiYE2F

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 11, 2024

Zverev became the first player to beat Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2019. The 2024 edition marks the first time since 2001 that neither of those players are competing at the season finale.

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Emotional Sinner accepts ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours

An emotional Jannik Sinner was celebrated for earning ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours on Monday evening at the Nitto ATP Finals in front of a raucous Inalpi Arena crowd.

“It’s a nice feeling, [it is] special sharing these kinds of moments here in Italy with the crowd,” Sinner said after a memorable ceremony in which he was presented the award by ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi, former World No. 1 Boris Becker and Head of Corporate Brand and Strategic Advisory at PIF Mohamed Alsayyad. “This would not be possible without all the people I have around and especially these kind of people I want to keep forever, because it has a journey from the beginning.”

 

Sinner’s tennis team and family, including his parents, were in the crowd. The people of Turin roared with approval as the home favourite displayed the trophy for the fans.

“I just heard that my mom was crying, which is something very cute,” Sinner said. “Only they know from my early age and stages, when I was around 13, how many sacrifices we made as a family.

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