Superb Sinner dismantles Ruud to power into ATP Finals showpiece
The Italian dropped just three games in a dominant showing against Casper Ruud to reach his second final in Turin
Jannik Sinner, ATP Finals, 2024 Foto FITP
Jannik Sinner marched imperiously into the final of the 2024 ATP Finals, demolishing Casper Ruud 6-1, 6-2 in their last-four encounter with a devastating display in front of a jubilant home crowd in Turin.
The Italian was simply superb in every department, dominating his opponent from start to finish as he breezed into his second consecutive final at the season-ending tournament.
One year ago, Sinner became the first Italian to reach an ATP Finals title match. Twelve months later, he has broken his own record to become the first Italian to make consecutive finals at this event.
Sinner has now won 25 of his last 26 matches, ending a spectacular year in the same dazzling form he has exhibited all season.
It was a performance more than worthy of the men’s leading tennis player, as Sinner’s metronomic precision, unbridled power and supreme athleticism combined seamlessly and immaculately to produce a showing of breathtaking quality.
Early break for Sinner
Sinner set the tone of the match early with a break in the second game en route to a quickfire 3-0 lead. Ruud looked to be getting a much-needed foothold in the contest in the fifth game, earning two break points with some ferocious hitting. But the world No 1 remained rock solid under the pressure, saving both break points to hold before breaking to love in the very next game and then comfortably serving out the first set after just half an hour of play.
Ruud won only 12 points compared to Sinner’s 26 in the opening stanza, as the Italian dominated the baseline exchanges from both the forehand and backhand wing. And the second set only brought more of the same.
A couple of holds at the beginning of the set did provide a brief respite for the Norwegian, before Sinner broke in the fifth and seventh games to win the last four in a row and power his way into the final.
Ruud outplayed and accepting
Ruud left the arena looking somewhat bemused, apparently fully accepting of the fact that he had simply been played off the court today. There was nothing he could do to stem the tide.
“Jannik is playing extremely well from every corner of his game,” the Norwegian told reporters in his post-match press conference.
“Serving well, returning well. Every kind of groundstroke feels like rockets are thrown at you. That’s tough.
“Today I found that he was playing great offensive and also great defensively… He’s playing almost too good for most of the opponents. Yeah, it’s really impressive.”
fritz awaits sinner in repeat of us open final
Sinner was characteristically more understated about his own performance, instead choosing to look ahead to tomorrow’s final.
“I felt like I was returning really well,” the Italian explained in his on-court interview.
“I’ll just try to play the best I can tomorrow. Anything can happen. Just happy to be back here. From last year to now, I feel like I have more experience and I’ve grown as a player.
“Hopefully tomorrow is going to be a good day. If not, it was still a very positive week and it’s been a very very positive year.”
He will face world No 5 Taylor Fritz in Sunday’s showpiece after the American stunned Alexander Zverev in the day’s first semi-final.
It will be a repeat of this year’s US Open final, which was a one-sided and somewhat disappointing affair. With Sinner also having already beaten Fritz in their group match earlier in the week, the American will head into tomorrow’s match as the heavy underdog against one of the most eminent sportspeople in the world right now.
2024 has undoubtedly been the year of Jannik Sinner. He has won a tour-leading seven titles, two of which were Grand Slams, defeated essentially everyone in his path and finishes the season as the undisputed world No 1.
Capping all that off with a maiden ATP Finals title would seem a very fitting way to wave farewell to this captivating season of tennis, and Sinner would get to do it all in front of his adoring home fans.
To that end, Sunday’s final may already seem to be something of a coronation. But this is still live sport. All eyes will now be on Fritz to see if he can spoil the great Italian party.
