Tennis News

Fritz pours cold water on Musetti's Nitto ATP Finals debut

Taylor Fritz spoiled Lorenzo Musetti’s Nitto ATP Finals debut in emphatic fashion on Monday, delivering a commanding performance to silence the packed Inalpi Arena crowd in Turin. Blending discipline with controlled aggression, the American dictated play from the baseline to seal a 6-3, 6-4 win against the Italian.

Fritz carries strong pedigree at the season finale, having reached the championship match last year and the semi-finals on debut in 2022. The 28-year-old arrived in northern Italy a week ago, in stark contrast to Musetti, who only touched down in Turin on Sunday after falling to Novak Djokovic in the Athens final on Saturday night.

With a full week of preparation in the bag, Fritz looked more comfortable in the indoor conditions. The sixth seed stepped inside the baseline to take the ball early, redirecting pace and pushing Musetti onto the back foot. Though the Italian produced flashes of brilliance while scrambling, he spent most of the match retreating, unable to wrest control from Fritz’s penetrating, flat groundstrokes.

“I am really happy. I thought I did a lot of things really well,” Fritz said. “I did a great job early on in the match to serve my way out of trouble and save some break points. The whole second set I played well and had a lot of chances to break that I didn’t get. I am really happy I was able to serve it out there and it didn’t come back to ruin it.”

Fritz finished with a performance rating of 9.20 against Musetti, well above his 8.28 Tour average in 2025. After storming through the first set, the American gained the crucial break of the second set at 1-1 when Musetti hit two consecutive doubles from 40/30 before he pushed a backhand wide when defending on break point. Fritz then held his nerve when serving out, rallying from 0/30 at 5-4 to triumph after one hour and 43 minutes.

“Every time I come here, I like the conditions and it is very easy to get motivated,” Fritz said when asked about his impressive Turin record. “You can lock in, it is the last tournament of the year and it is the ATP Finals, it is a big deal.”

Fritz is now 1-0 in the Jimmy Connors group and will also meet Carlos Alcaraz and Alex de Minaur in round-robin play in Turin. Alcaraz, chasing his first Nitto ATP Finals crown, defeated De Minaur on Sunday to kick-start his final push to earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours.

Fritz owns a 52-21 record on the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, highlighted by titles in Eastbourne and Stuttgart. The World No. 6 is locked at 3-3 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Musetti, with this the pair’s first meeting in 2025.

Musetti has enjoyed the best season of his career to qualify for the year-end event for the first time, advancing to tour-level finals in Monte-Carlo, Chengdu and Athens. The 23-year-old is joined by countryman and World No. 2 Jannik Sinner in Turin. The defending champion Sinner begins his campaign against Felix Auger-Aliassime on Monday night.

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Musetti: Debutant ready to raise the Turin roof

Musetti: Debutant ready to raise the Turin roof

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Sam Mendes' Oscar-winning World War One epic

During the First World War, two soldiers must cross no-man’s-land to deliver a message.

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Christian Harrison: Despite eight surgeries, I never gave up on my dreams

I was in excruciating pain. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t do anything.

I was a 14-year-old ranked higher than anyone else in the world my age. I had a career in front of me I always dreamed of and today, I am a 31-year-old getting ready to compete with Evan King in the Nitto ATP Finals for one of the biggest titles in our sport.

But as I think about my debut at this event, I have reflected on my long battle to get here

Seventeen years ago, I was dealing with a bone infection in my left femur. At the time, all I knew was that my leg was hurting. It felt like I had a constant cramp in my leg, but it was the bone that was actually hurting.

It first popped up when I was seven or eight years old. It just so happened to flair up when I was 14 and in the span of four weeks the infection doubled in size.

They misdiagnosed it a couple times, so figuring out that it was a bone infection was difficult and a whole process in itself. Once it started hurting we knew something was going on and learning I had a bone infection was almost a relief.

Bone infections can get serious if they get into your hip. Before modern medicine, they amputated legs whenever they were that painful. Medicine has advanced a lot, but that’s how much pain it normally can cause. Luckily they have better ways to treat it now and I considered myself pretty lucky at that point. I was able to get great care.

Nick Bollettieri was the one who set us up at the Mayo Clinic, so that I was able to travel with my family to get treatment. We ended up taking care of it with surgery and I had a smooth recovery from there — it was simply a matter of time to heal.

But that was only the beginning. When I was turning 19, I tore a labrum in my hip. I ended up having multiple surgeries. I had two hip surgeries, a shoulder surgery, a wrist surgery and then two adductor surgeries all within a year of each other.

Those kept me out for close to three years. I kept having ongoing problems from having so many surgeries and over the course of the next few years, I missed another year and a half here, another year there.

In those moments, the most important thing is to find ways to keep yourself happy and positive. I kept thinking that things can always be worse. It was obviously tough, but I never lost my motivation. I always found ways to keep my spirit high. I wanted to keep going and you tell yourself there is a way it can be done.

My brother Ryan was still playing and he was very successful, which helped. Once World No. 40 in singles and No. 16 in doubles, I would stay interested by watching him because I wanted to be there by his side. I always looked up to Ryan and was so proud of him. That kept me motivated, around the sport and with something to strive for.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Christian Harrison (@charrison94)

The hardest wasn’t when I wasn’t playing, but when I started playing again. It takes a while to get up to the standards that you expect for yourself. But I always knew that I was never going to lose the joy of playing the game.

From age 15, I spent close to nine years not hitting tennis balls for the most part. But I was eventually able to reach a pretty high level. I climbed to the Top 200 in the PIF ATP Rankings and made the semi-finals of an ATP Tour event in Delray Beach as a qualifier in 2021.

I qualified for a major main draw for the first time in 2016 aged 2022, did it again at Wimbledon two years later and eventually made it back to a Slam main draw at SW19 in 2022.

During my first-round match against Jay Clarke, I hurt my right foot pretty badly. I was up two sets to love and he took a bathroom break, which gave me plenty of time to think about it.

I was already having an ongoing problem, stood up and couldn’t put weight on my foot. I had to get it wrapped and take something to get through it. I was able to win the match, but had to withdraw early in my second-round match.

<img alt=”Christian Harrison at Wimbledon in 2022.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/09/23/07/harrison-wimbledon-2022-2025.jpg” />
^{Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images}

It turns out that I had a chip in my heel. I was crying after I won the first match because I knew I probably needed a long layoff and I had already thought if I had another one, I was going to start playing doubles. After one of the best moments of my career, I had to sit and do nothing. That was when I decided to change my focus.

I was young enough that I still believed I could come back and I definitely wanted to. I love playing tennis so much. I gain great satisfaction from just hitting the ball and always have. That’s the reason why guys like Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka are still playing. They don’t have to, but they love tennis. That’s how I feel.

I began playing full-time doubles last season and now, Evan and I are competing in the Nitto ATP Finals alongside the best players in the world. Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and more are all here.

To be in this situation, it makes me appreciate it. To play big matches in stadiums like Inalpi Arena makes it so fun. It makes waking up early and the days when you’re tired and you have to battle just to feel good and get to the court, just so you can love playing. Then you’re here. It’s a good reminder that everything you’re doing is worth it for your own reasons.

I didn’t want to give up and accept that injuries or surgeries would be the reasons I stopped doing something.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m thankful to be here and I’m trying to do everything I can to play as long as I can.

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What were the Nitto ATP Finals results?

Day 1 of the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals saw Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev earn victories on Sunday in Turin.

Alcaraz powered past Alex de Minaur to improve to 5-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Two-time champion Zverev defeated Ben Shelton to secure his first win of the tournament.

View all the results from Sunday below…

Read more from Turin:
Alcaraz hits his range vs. De Minaur, kicks off Turin bid
Alcaraz breaks spell in Turin: ‘I’ve finally started with a win’
Zverev finds spring in his Turin step, sees off Shelton
Bolelli/Vavassori raise the roof with opening win in Turin!

RESULTS – NOVEMBER 9, 2025

Men’s Singles

Round Robin – JIMMY CONNORS GROUP
[1] C. Alcaraz (ESP) d [7] A. de Minaur (AUS) 76(5) 62

Round Robin – BJORN BORG GROUP
[3] A. Zverev (GER) d [5] B. Shelton (USA) 63 76(6)

Men’s Doubles

Round Robin – PETER FLEMING GROUP
[7] S. Bolelli (ITA) / A. Vavassori (ITA) d [1] J. Cash (GBR) / L. Glasspool (GBR) 75 63
[3] M. Granollers (ESP) / H. Zeballos (ARG) d [6] K. Krawietz (GER) / T. Puetz (GER) 64 46 10-6

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Zverev finds spring in his Turin step, sees off Shelton at Nitto ATP Finals

Few events bring out the best in Alexander Zverev more than the Nitto ATP Finals. The two-time champion made a statement start to his latest campaign at the prestigious season finale on Sunday night in Turin, where he overcame Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(6).

Zverev was competing for the first time since he was affected by an ankle injury in a heavy semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner at the Rolex Paris Masters just eight days ago, but he appeared well rested and refreshed in a high-class display against Shelton in Italy. Even when facing two set points after Shelton found a resurgence in the second-set tie-break, the German kept his cool to move to 1-0 in Bjorn Borg Group.

Start as you mean to go on! 👏@AlexZverev | #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/FCgIFHVWtd

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 9, 2025

The third-seeded Zverev did not face a break point in the match as Shelton struggled for consistency on his Nitto ATP Finals debut. Zverev’s ability to target Shelton’s second serve was key to his 93-minute win: He won 76 per cent (16/21) of points on return against his opponent’s second delivery.

Despite frequently coming under pressure on his serve throughout the second set and being forced to save two break points at 2-2, Shelton competed admirably to keep Zverev on his toes and force a tie-break. The American soon appeared well-placed to force a decider when 4/0 ahead in the tie-break, and he later held two set points at 6/4. Yet he netted a simple forehand at 6/5 and Zverev clinically closed out for an opening win.

The 28-year-old Zverev, who previously triumphed at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2018 in London and in 2021 in Turin, is bidding to become the eighth man to win three titles at the season finale.

With his victory at Inalpi Arena, Zverev improved to 5-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Shelton. Four of those victories have come in 2025, with the German prevailing against the American lefty this year in the Munich final, the Stuttgart semi-finals and the Cincinnati quarter-finals.

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Alcaraz breaks spell in Turin: 'I’ve finally started with a win'

It has taken Carlos Alcaraz three years to kick off with a win at the Nitto ATP Finals. Three years of learning, of getting used to a different format, and of understanding that there is no room for slow starts in Turin.

On Sunday, when he defeated Alex de Minaur in his opening match, the Spaniard finally made the start he wanted in the event that brings together the best eight players of the season.

“Opening the tournament with a win is always nice, it’s always good. It can really give you a significant confidence boost for the next matches,” explained the six-time Grand Slam champion.

Alcaraz admitted to a few nerves at the start – the pressure of match one at the Nitto ATP Finals is always there – but he was happy to have started with victory at an event where the finer details can make all the difference. “Ultimately, if you win a match here it’s because you’ve played really well, because your level is very high,” said the 22-year-old.

“And that, in terms of sending a message to the other players and even to yourself, is very positive. I’ve been playing here for three years and it’s the first time I’ve won the first match, so I’m pleased with that. I’ll try to keep improving on the small things I didn’t do well today. I’m feeling really motivated for the next matches.”

In 2023, the year of his debut at the tournament, Alcaraz lost his first clash to Alexander Zverev. Last year, the result was the same when he faced Casper Ruud in the first match. Now, in 2025, the Spaniard has come through a tough opener against De Minaur, a win he celebrated by lifting his arms to the sky. He finally has his perfect start at the season finale.

Alcaraz’s analysis of the encounter also touched on some technical points. In Turin, where the speed of the indoor surface is significant, he compared the conditions to those of Paris, his last tournament. “I also think it depends a bit on the speed of the court. Here, everything’s much faster, there’s no time to put spin on it or to hit topspin, so the angles don’t open up. In Paris we had more time to play, with more margin and more topspin. The serve wasn’t as damaging, there were a lot more rallies and much longer points, and that made the ball bigger. The balls are similar, but here we can do a little more damage because of the speed of the court.”

With that blend of detailed analysis and unswerving ambition, the World No. 2 left no doubt about his mentality; in Turin, he will not rest on his laurels, and nor will he be choosing one goal over another. The Spaniard was asked if he would rather win here or at the Davis Cup next week in Malaga with his country. The answer was true to character: “Why not both? I think that’s the question. Why choose one when you can fight for both?” responded the 22-year-old.

“Although there are many years left, I’ll also have many years to play the Davis Cup, because it’s annual. Hopefully I can represent Spain for many years to come, but we’ll try and fight for both this year, and every year that we have the chance.”

With an opening win at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals, Alcaraz will be feeling more settled, more comfortable on the surface and, above all, he will feel his learnings from a tournament he has often struggled at are finally starting to pay dividends.

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Sinner begins Nitto ATP Finals title defence against resurgent Auger-Aliassime

Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti will both proudly step onto court on Monday at the Nitto ATP Finals, marking the first time two Italians compete at the prestigious season finale.

Defending champion Sinner opens his Turin campaign in the Bjorn Borg Group with a night-session showdown against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, while debutant Musetti launches his journey in the Jimmy Connors Group with an afternoon clash against last year’s finalist Taylor Fritz.

There are also two doubles matches in the John McEnroe Group. British duo Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski face Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic, while Christian Harrison and Evan King meet Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, who have a slim shot at taking ATP Year-End No. 1 Doubles Team presented by PIF honours.

[2] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. [8] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
For the fourth time since August, Sinner and Auger-Aliassime will clash in a high-stakes duel. But can the Canadian finally halt a three-match skid against the red-hot Sinner?

With his straight-sets victory over Auger-Aliassime in the Paris final earlier this month, Sinner extended his indoor winning streak to 26 matches, further cementing his dominant status in these conditions. Yet the Canadian, who fell 6-4, 7-6(4) in that tense match, believes that he is not far from catching Sinner.

“For me, it’s not a huge gap. I’m getting closer every match we play against each other,” Auger-Aliassime said of Sinner after their Paris final. “This match was more tight. At the US Open, I managed to win a set, but I lost the first and the fourth in a difficult way. But what we say today was that it was close.”

To upset Sinner on home soil, Auger-Aliassime must take time away from the Italian, using his attacking instincts to step forward and finish points at the net. Sinner, by contrast, will look to control baseline exchanges and absorb pace before striking on the counter — a pattern he used to thrive on the courts at Inalpi Arena in the past.

Sinner is also locked in a thrilling battle with Carlos Alcaraz for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours, but he must win the title to ensure he has any chance of securing that feat for the second straight year.

<img alt=”Lorenzo Musetti, Taylor Fritz” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/09/18/10/nitto-atp-finals_h2h_v1_16x9.jpg” />

[9] Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) vs. [6] Taylor Fritz (USA)
For Musetti, Monday will be a moment he has long dreamed of. The 23-year-old Italian arrived in Turin after a gruelling three-hour final against Novak Djokovic in Athens on Saturday, and will need to recover quickly against defending finalist Fritz, who returns for a third year.

Musetti owns a 3-2 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead over Fritz, though the American won their only previous indoor meeting at the 2022 Davis Cup Finals. Fritz, who advanced to the semi-finals in 2022 and the final last year, knows the value of starting strong at the Nitto ATP Finals.

“I’ve gotten out of the group both times I’ve been here, but I’ve also won my first match both times,” said Fritz. “I think that’s a huge part. Getting that first win is so important… Last year I was hitting my forehand so much better than I was previously, especially on the run, and I’m hoping to do that again this year.”

Tactically, this matchup pits Fritz’s firepower and efficiency against Musetti’s variety and flair. The American’s booming serve and penetrating forehand make him lethal indoors. Meanwhile, Musetti will rely on his all-court game — mixing spins, slices, and sudden net approaches to disrupt rhythm. His one-handed backhand, a shot of beauty and danger, must be sharp to keep Fritz from bullying with pace.

In their sixth meeting, and first on this grand stage, it’s experience versus novelty. Fritz will look to continue his rich form in Turin, while Musetti will hope to channel the energy of the Italian crowd and produce a breakthrough performance worthy of the occasion.

Doubles Action
Heliovaara and Patten returned to Turin for the second straight year not only chasing the title, but also the Year-End No. 1 honour. The British-Finnish pair arrives in top form after triumphing in Paris, though their first opponents — Harrison and King — have already claimed two indoor crowns this season and promise a stern test.

Meanwhile, British duo Salisbury and Skupski, seeking their first title of 2025, take on Arevalo and Pavic, who have lifted three ATP Masters 1000 trophies this year and return to Turin with unfinished business, having fallen in last year’s final.

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Bolelli/Vavassori raise the roof with opening win in Turin!

Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori channelled home support to spectacular effect on Sunday evening at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Seeking a fast start on its second consecutive appearance at the prestigious season finale in Turin, the Italian duo upset top seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool 7-5, 6-3 in a raucous atmosphere inside Inalpi Arena. Bolelli and Vavassori were clincal with their chances in the 82-minute encounter, during which they converted two of three break points they earned according to Infosys ATP Stats.

How about THAT for a volley! 🧙‍♂️#NittoATPFinals | @BolelliSimone pic.twitter.com/BK4NEMD0hl

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 9, 2025

Now 1-0 in Peter Fleming Group, Bolelli and Vavassori have made the perfect start in their bid to reach the semi-finals at the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. The pair has also increased its Lexus ATP Head2Head lead over Cash and Glasspool to 3-1.

Despite missing out on a win on their Nitto ATP Finals debut that would have simultaneously sealed Year-End ATP Doubles No. 1 presented by PIF honours, Cash and Glasspool remain in a good position to end the year as the world’s top team. The Britons lead second-placed Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten by 1305 points in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings. Heliovaara and Patten play their Turin opener on Monday.

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Juventus star Milik on watching Alcaraz: 'It was a beautiful experience'

Juventus FC forward Arkadiusz Milik will not soon forget his visit to the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals. First the football star watched top seed Carlos Alcaraz win his opening match against Alex de Minaur, then he met the Spaniard.

“It was a very, very nice experience, a beautiful experience,” Milik told ATPTour.com. “Basically it was my second time to see him play and he’s an amazing player, nothing more to say.”

Milik admitted that he is not the most hardcore fan in the world, but explained that he enjoys following stars like Alcaraz.

“I am following them and watching him play with his qualities is something special,” Milik said. “It’s always a pleasure to see these kind of players play and it’s nice to be here.”

The 31-year-old is used to showing his athleticism on the pitch, combining his movement with precise and powerful strikes. What was impressive about Alcaraz inside Inalpi Arena?

Milik 🤝 Alcaraz#NittoATPFinals | #Juventus pic.twitter.com/HiaMM1KALh

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 9, 2025

“He is quite fast. His [reaction] is amazing and his power is nice to watch,” Milik said. “I am here just as a simple fan. I am enjoying watching tennis, so it makes me happy.”

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