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Zverev: 'This one will hurt more'

  • Posted: Nov 16, 2024

Alexander Zverev was close to solving the Taylor Fritz puzzle, but fell short again.

On Saturday, the 27-year-old lost to the inspired American in the semi-finals at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. In a tight three-set battle where only a few points set the two apart, Zverev admitted he fell short at crucial moments.

“This one will hurt maybe a bit more because I thought I played at a decent level and I had more chances generally in the third set. I felt like statistically and shot-wise, my level maybe was even higher than his until the important moments. That’s where I kind of blew it. This one will hurt more than the other few,” said Zverev.

“I didn’t use my chances in the third set at all. I feel like I had more than enough. I played a below-average tie-break, I would say. A lot worse than what the level was throughout the third set from my end.”

In one of the most noteworthy rivalries of 2024, Zverev and Fritz faced each other five times, including battles at Wimbledon and the US Open, which went Fritz’s way. Overall, the American, enjoying his best season on the Tour, edged Zverev 4-1 in the Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

The two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion acknowledged the improvements he has seen in the US Open finalist’s game.

“His forehand used to break down quite a lot. His forehand was always fast, and very aggressive, but it was very shaky in important moments. He could hit a winner, but he could hit the fence, as well. I feel like the ratio is a lot more towards winners now than hitting the fence. His forehand doesn’t break down as much as it used to,” he said.

“I think that’s the shot that improved the most for him.”

[ATP AWARDS]

Zverev, who notched a perfect 3-0 round-robin record at the prestigious season finale, including a straight-sets win over Carlos Alcaraz in his last group stage match on Friday, admitted he felt different against Fritz in the semi-final.

“I felt a bit more empty today. Yesterday I felt full of energy. I was like a jumping ball. I could move and I could run no matter how long. Today I felt more empty, especially in the beginning. The longer the match went on, the better I felt. In the beginning of the match, I struggled. In the warm-up I struggled as well,” he shared.

“It was one of those days where everything takes time to get going. It’s not a natural flow to movement patterns, to your shots as well, to just how you wake up in the morning. Everything is a little bit more tiring. I felt that way today.

“Against Carlos, it was the highlight of the tournament. Probably the highest-level match that the tournament has seen so far. Unfortunately, I didn’t back it up at the level in the first set.”

Zverev, who has sealed his status as the year-end No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, also reflected on his journey this year. The German won two titles and registered a 69-21 record this season according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

“I played some fantastic matches. I’ve won 65 matches, something like that. It’s been an interesting year for me, especially after the injury. It was kind of my first year completely back competing at this level and competing for big tournaments. I won two Masters events (Rome and Paris),” said Zverev.

“But what stays in mind I think are the tough losses that you had. What will stay in my mind is the Australian Open loss against Daniil, and the French Open final against Carlos. Those are the matches that stay in my mind. You can trust me, I’m going to do everything I can to be back in the same moments, in the same position next year. I’m going to do everything I can to win.”

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Zverev successfully uses Video Review in Nitto ATP Finals SFs

  • Posted: Nov 16, 2024

Video Review led to the overturn of a call and the replay of a point on Saturday in the Nitto ATP Finals semi-final between Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz.

At 1-0 in the second set, Zverev rushed forward and lunged to retrieve a ball with a backhand swipe. Chair umpire Adel Nour called not up, awarding the point to Fritz.

However, upon Video Review requested by Zverev, Nour overturned his call and ordered that the point be replayed. Zverev then won the replayed point.

When a reviewable call is challenged, the Video Review operator finds the best view of the incident through available camera angles, then sends the video to a screen attached to the umpire’s chair. The umpire then reviews the video to determine if there is clear evidence to support the original decision or to overturn the decision. If there is no clear evidence, the original decision stands.

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Video Review was also used successfully last year in Turin. In a doubles match between Ivan Dodig/Austin Krajicek and Maximo Gonzalez/Andres Molteni, Gonzalez reflexed a volley through the court and a touch was called on Krajicek, who tried to move his racquet out of the way of the incoming ball. The review showed he had not touched the ball, and the point was replayed.

Video Review debuted on the ATP Tour in 2018 at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. It was first used at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2020.

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Turin SF Preview: Sinner vs. Ruud, Zverev vs. Fritz

  • Posted: Nov 16, 2024

After six days of elite group-stage action at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals, Saturday begins the knockout rounds in Turin.

Home favourite Jannik Sinner, the No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, will seek to continue his perfect week when he takes on Casper Ruud in the Inalpi Arena. World No. 2 Alexander Zverev, who also posted a 3-0 round-robin record, will meet Taylor Fritz.

In doubles action, 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.

[ATP AWARDS]

[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 has soared into the semis without dropping a set. The Italian has not lost more than four games in a single frame and was broken just twice on four break chances combined against De Minaur, Fritz and Medvedev.

“The atmosphere here is amazing, so I’m just trying to play some good tennis this week,” Sinner said after completing his undefeated group-stage campaign.

His perfect start on the Inalpi Arena’s indoor hard court continues a brilliant season highlighted by a tour-leading seven titles. Six of those trophies have come 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 during this year, so I try to step on court with a good mindset,” he said of his continued success. “I have beautiful people around me who support me daily, which for me is really important. I try to enjoy my time on the court.”

 

Ruud, whose two 2024 titles came on the clay of Barcelona and Geneva, has the unenviable task of trying to slow Sinner’s roll on the pavement. He has yet to take a set off the Italian in two previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings. Both of those matchups came on indoor hard courts in Vienna, but it’s been more than three years since their last encounter.

The Norwegian could have no 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 just one break point in a tight defeat to World No. 2 Zverev. Knowing he needed to win a set against Andrey Rublev to secure his semi-final place, he went one better and won the match to wrap his group campaign at 2-1.

The task will only get tougher on Saturday, when he will have to handle both a red-hot Sinner and the Italian crowd.

“He is the best player in the world all year and is playing at home and has not dropped a set all week,” Ruud said. “He is the player to beat this year and I am going to do my best. It seems like this guy almost forgot how to lose. I will see if I can come up with something to challenge here. I will be prepared for probably the toughest match of the year.”

<img alt=”Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/15/18/05/zverev-fritz-turin-2024-sf-h2h.jpg” />

[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 just five men with more than 50 match wins on the year, joining fellow Turin competitors 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 are pretty beat up,” 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’ve got energy to give.”

Their semi-final meeting will be Zverev’s 90th match of 2024 (69-20) and Fritz’s 74th (51-22). It will also be their fifth Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting of 2024.

“I’m happy with being 3-0 in the group for sure, but I think now the semi-final is going to be very difficult,” said Zverev, who trails Fritz 5-6 in their rivalry. “[Taylor] beat me the past few times at the Slams, so I’m looking forward to that match.”

 

Zverev defeated the American this year in the Rome quarter-finals, but Fritz prevailed at Wimbledon in five sets, at the US Open in four and at Laver Cup in two. Fritz’s three-match winning streak against Zverev marks the first time either man has beaten the other three times in a row. But the German’s form — and his status as year-end No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings — makes him the slight favourite in Turin.

Fritz nearly pulled off the upset against Sinner in the round-robin stage, giving the home favourite 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 semi-final place.

In this Saturday showdown, both men will look to use their big serves to set the tone. The ideal formula is a simple one: dominate service games and pile on the pressure when returning. But nothing is simple at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Doubles SFs
Thursday’s results meant Arevalo and Pavic clinched Year-End ATP Doubles No. 1 presented by PIF honours as a team for the first time. On Friday, the Turin top seeds beat home favourites Bolelli and Vavassori to seal their place in the semi-finals.

The Salvadoran/Croatian pair will hope to continue their positive streak against the in-form team of the tournament, Heliovaara and Patten. Exceeding their billing as seventh seeds, the British/Finnish team was the lone doubles duo to post a 3-0 group record this week.

The opposite semi-final will see two pairs of countrymen square off as fifth-seeded Aussies Purcell and Thompson take on eighth-seeded Germans Krawietz and Puetz. Both teams finished round-robin play at 2-1. The Aussies finished second in the Mike Bryan Group while the Germans topped the Bob Bryan group thanks to their 5-2 set record.

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