There hasn’t been an American in the finals of the ATP Finals, the Masters of the best eight of the season, since 2006, when they qualified. James Blake. He was left without a prize, in the list of winners he was still the last Pete Sampras in 1999.
Twenty-five years later he would try again Taylor Fritz27 years old and world No. 5. He gave the surprise, he took the call to compete with the number 1 and local leader, the Italian Jannik Sinnerwhere the USA tennis player lost in the group stage.
The 2018 and 2021 champion and ATP No. 2, there will be a new ‘master’. The German Alexander Zverev Recent Paris Masters 1000 ATP winner Bercy, undefeated in his previous eight matches, including the elimination of Carlos Alcaraz in Turin, went down on his knees against someone who was starting to become a nightmare for him.
In a ‘great game’ they were evenly matched on points won (97-97), Fritz won by 6-3, 3-6 and 7-6 (7-2) in 2h.21′. Semifinalist in his previous participation, in 2022, he will fight this Sunday, at 6 pm, for the trophy against Sinner or the Norwegian. Casper Ruud.
Fritz pocketed an extra prize of 1,123,400 dollars for this victory, bringing his tournament total to 2,247,000, and 400 ranking points.
Zverev has shown impressive tennis these days at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, but ran into a Fritz showing his maximum maturity this season by reaching the final of the US Open. Furthermore, the North American definitely took the measure of the German, who became a rival at the junior stage.
Fritz has won the last four matches against Zverev, whom he has eliminated this season Wimbledon and the US Open. Sascha was very angry on the London grass, because he injured his knee and accused part of the group of American relatives, including his girlfriend, of a lack of sportsmanship for celebrating too much a resolution that was sung because of his physical disability.
Zverev He wanted his revenge, he was rejected Fritz strong, courageous, gradually shedding that reputation as a weak player under maximum pressure. He defended two break points in the game before the tiebreak with great integrity.
And when there is a sudden death, the record says Fritz, because he beat Zverev 8 out of 10. A dramatic outcome because they both held the court, they released a lot of class. Taylor is still going, he’s going up a notch.
The background warns of Fritz’s danger, of his real possibilities, but Zverev He did not know how to impose his terrain, his greatest experience in this event. These are details between two very good servers, increasingly persistent and aggressive in the background. They suffered separate ‘breaks’ each. It was a new thing for Zverev, who kept his serve intact, not giving up a set either.
The player with the most games won (69, one more than Sinner) and played (90), chased by the rising Fritz. He has eight titles, he will play his sixteenth ATP final. On the baggage of the US Open, which he lost Jannik Sinner.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
