Game preview
Preview of Turin SF: Sinner vs. Ruud, Zverev vs. Fritz
Offender, Zverev posted a perfect 3-0 record in the group stage
November 15, 2024
ATP
Jannik Sinner leads Casper Ruud 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, but the Turin semi-finalists haven't met in doubles since 2021.
Written by Arthur Kapetanakis
After six days of the elite group stage at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals, Saturday begins the elimination rounds in Turin.
Home favorite Jannik Sinner, who is No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, he will be looking to continue his good week when he takes on Casper Ruud at the Inalpi Arena. World No. 2 Alexander Zverev, who also posted a 3-0 round-robin record, will meet Taylor Fritz.
In the doubles, Aussies Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson take on Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz before top seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic play Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.
[1] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. [6] Casper Ruud (NOR)
Playing on home soil for the first time this year – and for the first time as World No. 1 – Sinner advanced to the semis without dropping a set. The Italian has yet to lose more than four games in a single set and has only broken twice in four break chances, joining De Minaur, Fritz and Medvedev.
“The atmosphere here is amazing, so I'm just trying to play good tennis this week,” Sinner said after completing his undefeated campaign.
His good start at the Inalpi Arena continues with a great season highlighted by seven tour leading titles. Six of those trophies came on hard courts, including his first two Grand Slam titles (Australian Open, US Open) and three ATP Masters 1000s crowns (Miami, Cincinnati, Shanghai).
“I know what I have achieved this year, so I try to enter the court with a good mindset,” he said, continuing his success. “I have good people around me who support me every day, which is very important to me. I try to enjoy my time on the court.”
Ruud, whose two 2024 titles came in the mud of Barcelona and Geneva, has the unenviable task of trying to slow the Sinner's roll on the pavement. He has yet to dethrone the Italian in the last two Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings. Both of those matchups came on indoor hard courts in Vienna, but it's been more than three years since they last met.
The Norwegian could not have had a better preparation for the World No. 1 than the gauntlet he faced to reach the semis. After beating Alcaraz, the No. 3 man in the PIF ATP Rankings, Ruud allowed one break point in a solid defeat to the World No. 2 Zverev. Knowing he needed to win a set against Andrey Rublev to secure his place in the semi-finals, he went one better and won the match to wrap up his club campaign 2-1.
The task will be tough on Saturday, when he will have to face the hot Sinner and the Italian crowd.
“He's the best player in the world all year and he's playing at home and he hasn't been down all week,” Ruud said. “He's the player to beat this year and I'm going to do my best. It looks like this guy has almost forgotten about losing. I'll see if I can come up with something to challenge here. I'll be prepared for maybe the toughest game of the year.”
Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz” style=”width:100%;” src=”
[2] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs. [5] Taylor Fritz (USA)
Zverev and Fritz have been among the busiest players on the ATP Tour this season. They are two of the five men to win more than 50 games in a year, joining fellow Turin rivals Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Ruud.
With the Nitto ATP Finals title on the line, both men will have plenty more in the tank.
“I think a lot of us were well beaten,” Fritz said after his three-set win against Alex de Minaur on Thursday. “But if I'm in the semis of the [Nitto ATP Finals]I have the power to give.”
Their semi-final meeting will be Zverev's 90th match in 2024 (69-20) and Fritz's 74th (51-22). It will also be their fifth Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in 2024.
“I'm happy to be 3-0 in the group for sure, but I think now the semi-final will be very difficult,” said Zverev, who trails Fritz 5-6 in their match. “[Taylor] I beat him a few times before at the Slams, so I'm looking forward to that match.”
Zverev defeated the American this year in the quarterfinals in Rome, but Fritz won in Wimbledon in five sets, the US Open in four sets and the Laver Cup in two sets. Fritz's three-match win against Zverev is the first time either team has beaten the other three in a row. But the German's status – and his status as No. 2 year-end in the PIF ATP Rankings – making him a slight favorite in Turin.
Fritz nearly took out his upset on Sinner in the round robin stage, giving the home favorite all he could handle in two tight sets before being broken in the final game of each. He then dropped the opening set against Alex de Minaur before finding his serve to turn that match around and, ultimately, seal his place in the semi-finals.
In this Saturday's match, both men will look to use their big serves to set the tone. The ideal formula is simple: control the service games and pile up the pressure on the return. But nothing is easy at the Nitto ATP Finals.
SFs are doubled
Thursday's results mean that Arevalo and Pavic received the ATP Year-End Award presented by the PIF honors as a team for the first time. On Friday, the Turin giants beat home favorites Bolelli and Vavassori to seal their place in the semi-finals.
The Salvadoran/Croatian duo will hope to continue their good run against the in-form side of the tournament, Heliovaara and Patten. Overcoming their charge as the seventh seed, the British/Finnish team was the only doubles team to post a 3-0 team record this week.
A different semi-final will see two pairs of nationals square off as fifth-seeded Aussies Purcell and Thompson take on German No. 8 Krawietz and Puetz. Both teams finished the round robin match 2-1. The Aussies finished second in the Mike Bryan Group and the Germans topped the Bob Bryan Group thanks to their 5-2 sets record.
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