Jannik Sinner added another big title to his tremendous year, beating Taylor Fritz, the US Open runner-up, 6-4, 6-4 to win the ATP Finals trophy in front of his home fans in Turin. Sinner won his first two grand slam titles at the Australian Open and US Open this year and had already clinched the year-end No 1 ranking. He became the first Italian to win this tournament and did so without dropping a set – which was last accomplished by Ivan Lendl in 1986.
Jannik Sinner caps golden year by beating Taylor Fritz to ATP Finals glory
- World No1 wins final 6-4, 6-4 in front of home fans
- Wada cleared him of wrongdoing after positive drug tests
Jannik Sinner added another big title to his tremendous year, beating the US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 for the ATP Finals trophy in front of his home fans in Turin – and before a final verdict is reached in his doping case.
Sinner won his first two grand slam titles at the Australian Open and US Open this year and had already clinched the year-end No 1 ranking. He also tested positive in two separate drug tests in March and a decision to clear him of wrongdoing was appealed against by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September. A final ruling is expected from the court of arbitration for sport early next year.
Continue reading...ATP Finals: Taylor Fritz topples Zverev in thriller to reach final for first time
- Fritz triumphs 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3) in battle of big servers
- American will face Casper Ruud or Jannik Sinner in final
Jannik Sinner will attempt to close out one of the greatest hard court seasons of this century with his first ATP Finals title on Sunday as he eased into the final in Turin with a devastating 6-1, 6-2 win over Casper Ruud.
The world No 1 will face Taylor Fritz, the fifth seed, after Fritz toppled Alexander Zverev in a tense, quality tussle to reach the final for the first time. In a bruising battle between two of the best servers in the world, Fritz held on to narrowly defeat Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3). The ATP’s season-ending finale final will mark a rematch of the US Open final where Sinner dismantled Fritz in three sets to win his second grand-slam title.
Continue reading...Alexander Zverev beats Alcaraz at ATP Finals to set up Fritz semi-final
- Zverev overcomes Spanish world No 3 7-6 (5), 6-4
- Fritz has beaten Zverev in two slam meetings this year
Alexander Zverev continued his strong form at the ATP Finals by moving into the semi-finals in Turin with a commanding 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over the third seed Carlos Alcaraz.
After success at the Paris Masters in his previous tournament, Zverev, the second seed, is on an eight-match winning streak following victories over Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev in Turin.
Continue reading...Nick Kyrgios overcomes injury woes to return to court for Australian Open tilt
- Former world No 13 has played one ATP Tour match in past two years
- 29-year-old to make competitive comeback at Brisbane International
Nick Kyrgios will make his long-awaited return to competitive tennis at the Brisbane International after playing only one ATP Tour match in more than two years.
The 29-year-old firebrand has been mostly sidelined with career-threatening wrist and knee injuries since the 2022 US Open quarter-finals. That run came six weeks after reaching the Wimbledon decider when he came closest to an elusive major crown before falling in four sets to Novak Djokovic.
Continue reading...Jannik Sinner breezes past Daniil Medvedev: ATP Finals tennis – as it happened
The world No 1 Jannik Sinner eased past Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to qualify top of his group in Turin
In the head to heads, both Sinner and Medvedev have won matches seven apiece, with Sinner dominating recently (with the exception of Wimbledon).
The commentators agree, they look at Medvedev and don’t know quite how it works, but it does.
Continue reading...Carlos Alcaraz beats Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6: ATP Finals tennis – as it happened
Carlos Alcaraz bounces back despite a cold, beating Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6 during an entertaining afternoon in Turin
Ws spot Rublev now in the tunnel, working through a practice shot with his physio, all messy mop of red hair.
2024: Rublev beat an injured Alcaraz in three sets in Madrid.
Continue reading...Alcaraz aided by nasal band as he bounces back against Rublev in ATP Finals
- Spaniard had been suffering from respiratory issues
- Billie Jean King Cup finals delayed by weather warning
Carlos Alcaraz made light of feeling under the weather as he dispatched Andrey Rublev in impressive fashion to revive his ATP Finals hopes on Wednesday.
The Spanish four-times grand slam champion has been suffering with respiratory issues in Turin and wore pink nasal tape against Rublev but enjoyed a resounding 6-3, 7-6 (8) victory.
Continue reading...Diego Forlán: ‘Playing with professionals, just for one game, you never know’
Stakes in the former footballer’s professional debut are not particularly high but the YouTube vlog will be spectacular
Before the start of the Uruguay Open, the organisers of the second-string ATP Challenger tournament had an announcement. After flooding their social media pages with references to just one participant during the week, finally, a date was confirmed for the unmissable match and tickets were on sale: “Get ready for an epic night that will remain in the memory of the Uruguay Open,” they wrote.
It is incredibly rare for any first round match on the humble challenger or future tours to generate enough attention to warrant the tournament organisers planning its exact date and time in advance. In doubles, which is usually banished to the outer courts in front of nobody at all, it is almost unheard of. But this is no normal occasion. On Wednesday at 10am local time, after weeks of publicity, interviews and hype, Diego Forlán, the former footballer for Manchester United, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid and Inter, will make his professional tennis debut alongside Federico Coria of Argentina in Montevideo.
Continue reading...Alex de Minaur on brink of ATP Finals exit after heavy loss to Daniil Medvedev
- Australian blown away 6-2 6-4 by Russian in Turin
- Men’s No 1 now relying on other results to stay afloat
Alex de Minaur’s ATP Finals debut appears to have come to a brutal end with a match still to play after being blown off court by a rejuvenated Daniil Medvedev.
The Russian, who said he was looking forward to the season being over after succumbing to a tantrum during his opening round defeat to Taylor Fritz, brushed aside the Australian No.1 6-2 6-4 in 78 minutes of high-octane tennis on Tuesday.
Continue reading...US tennis analyst taken off-air for derogatory comment about Barbora Krejcikova
- Tennis Channel removes Jon Wertheim from WTA Finals line-up
- Wertheim sorry for being ‘neither professional nor charitable’
American journalist Jon Wertheim has been removed as an on-air analyst for the Tennis Channel for a derogatory comment he made about Barbora Krejcikova’s forehead.
Covering the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wertheim said in a statement on Sunday that his comment “inadvertently” made it on air after he joined the Tennis Channel broadcast via Zoom.
Continue reading...Casper Ruud routs out-of-sorts Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets at ATP Finals
- Norwegian claims milestone success in 6-1, 7-5 win
- Alexander Zverev beats Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4
Carlos Alcaraz made a stuttering start to the ATP Finals in Turin as he suffered a shock first career defeat to the world No 7 Casper Ruud.
The two-time Wimbledon champion, who won the first of his four grand slam titles by beating Ruud in the 2022 US Open final, went into the contest leading the head-to-head results 4-0. But the inspired Norwegian impressively claimed a milestone success in the opening match of the John Newcombe Group, winning 6-1, 7-5 in an hour and 25 minutes.
Continue reading...Sinner sees off De Minaur while Fritz beats angry Medvedev at ATP Finals
- Sinner defeats Australian opponent 6-3, 6-4 in Turin
- Fritz triumphs 6-4, 6-3 in other Ilie Nastase Group match
Home favourite Jannik Sinner made the ideal start to the ATP Finals in Turin with a straight-sets victory over Alex de Minaur. Sinner recovered from losing his serve in the third game to ease to a 6-3, 6-4 victory in 85 minutes in his first match since winning the Rolex Shanghai Masters on October 13.
“He was playing great in the beginning of the match so I just tried to stay there mentally knowing that, hopefully, at some point my tennis would arrive,” the world No 1 said in an on-court interview. “It arrived quite early and I started to return very well, my serve for sure I have to improve but I’m very pleased about the win and hopefully this can give me the confidence for the next one.”
Continue reading...Barbora Krejcikova hits out at ‘unprofessional’ US commentary over her apppearance
- Czech responds to comments made on Tennis Channel
- ‘I believe it’s time to address the need for respect’
Barbora Krejcikova has criticised “unprofessional commentary” regarding her appearance on the US TV network Tennis Channel.
The Wimbledon champion was taking part in the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia this week, the culmination to the regular women’s season, where she lost to Zheng Qinwen in the semi-finals on Friday.
Continue reading...Battling Coco Gauff sinks Zheng Qinwen to win her first WTA Finals
- American claims 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) victory
- Gauff faced 5-3 deficit in final set
As Coco Gauff faced down a 5-3 third-set deficit towards the end of a relentless, brutal battle, the odds of victory were dissipating with every point. However, in her short career, the American’s grit has been a constant resource when all else has failed. She has found a way to victory from dire circumstances so many times. In one of the biggest finals of her career, Gauff spent almost the entirety of her three hours on-court just fighting to stay in the match against an opponent in the form of her life. Somehow, in the desperate final moments at the end of a brilliant tussle, Gauff rose up to topple Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) and win the WTA Finals for the first time.
Still just 20, Gauff is the youngest champion at the WTA Finals since a 17-year-old Maria Sharapova won in 2004. She did so the hard way, defeating the two best players, in Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, and then Zheng, the Olympic gold medallist. This victory marks Gauff’s third career title and ninth overall, her 9-1 record in finals a reflection of her immense toughness under pressure.
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