Turin (Italy), Nov 17 (IANS) Taylor Fritz became the first American since James Blake in 2006 to reach the title match of the ATP Finals on Saturday, overcoming World No. 2 Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3) in a thrilling semifinal clash at Inalpi Arena here on Saturday. The fifth seed Fritz produced a high-class serving display, struck 32 winners, and became the first player to break Zverev’s serve this week en route to a dramatic two-hour, 20-minute victory.
Fritz has now won his past four matches against Zverev, who made three critical errors in the third-set tie-break and leads the German 7-5 in the pair’s ATP head-to-head series. Into his fifth final of the season, the World No. 5 will aim to win the biggest title of his career when he meets the winner of the second semifinal between Italian Jannik Sinner and Norwegian Casper Ruud on Sunday evening.
Fritz, a 2022 semifinalist in the ATP Finals, is up one spot to No. 4 in the ATP Live Rankings and will end the year in the Top 5 for the first time. Fritz is the first American to finish the season inside the Top 5 since Blake in 2006 and will rise to a career-high No. 4 on Monday if Casper Ruud does not win the title in northern Italy.
In an entertaining battle, Fritz became the first player to break Zverev’s serve this week when he swiped a forehand crosscourt to lead 4-2 in the opener. According to Infosys ATP Stats, the fifth seed won 95 percent (18/19) of his first-serve points and sealed the first set on his second set point with a heavy forehand.
Fritz went on to hold his serve in the first game but Zverev’s breakthrough came shortly after. The German started to hit his heavy backhand more consistently, winning the crosscourt exchanges off that wing to break Fritz’s serve. Zverev fended off the only break point he faced in the set at 4-2, closing out to force a decider.
In the decider, Fritz battled hard to earn a crucial hold at 2-2, rallying from 0/40. Zverev then responded by saving three break points on serve at 3-4. Another crucial moment came at 5-5 when Fritz battled through a 10-minute game to hold for 6-5, saving one break point with a smash. With nothing to separate them, the winner was decided by a decisive match tie-break in which Fritz capitalised on three uncharacteristic errors from Zverev to earn a dramatic win on his first match point.
–IANS
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