Taylor Fritz will play in the final of the 2024 ATP Finals in Turin after beating Alexander Zverev in the semi-final.
Both of these players deserved their semi-final spot at the 2024 ATP Finals in Turin, but Zverev shone brighter in the three round-robin matches. He bested all of his opponents, including Carlos Alcaraz.
As a result, he came into the semi-finals as the top seed from his group, while the American player was the second-ranked player in his group behind Jannik Sinner, who will take on Casper Ruud in the other semi-final match.
Previously, Zverev and Fritz met 11 times, with the American leading the H2H 6-5. This year, Fritz won three out of four matches that they played, but he still didn't come into this match as a favorite, given Zverev's form at the event.
On top of that, he previously won the Paris Masters, but he couldn't replicate that form in the first set of this match. Zverev's forehand was far from consistent, while Fritz played out of this world.
The American rarely missed from this forehand, and he was the much better player. As a result of his activity, he worked his way to two break points in the sixth game, and he converted the second one to lead 4-2.
Thanks to his perfect serving throughout the set, he was able to serve it out, easily winning the opening set of the match 6-3 to grab an important lead.
That didn't come without a response, however. Zverev started the second set better, and at the start of the set, a video review, which is rarely seen in tennis, was in action as well.
When Zverev was chasing a short ball in the second game, umpire Adel Nour called 'not up,' meaning that the German player lost the point, which he likely would have lost regardless since his opponent had an easy volley at the net.
Understandably, Zverev called for the video review, which proved that he was correct, and even though his opponent had an easy volley at the net, the rally had to be replayed.
The match then continued without any major issues, and already in the fourth game, he broke to lead 3-1, and confirmed it with a hold to lead 4-1.
The World No. 2 then had to face a break point in the seventh game when he didn't have the best game, but he was able to save it and also serve out the set, winning 6-3, to force the decider.
There was very little between the two, and they kept fighting for every ball. In the fifth game, Fritz had a horrendous start on his serve, falling behind 0-40, facing three consecutive break points.
He was able to erase that deficit, saving all three break points to lead 3-2 after the game. A few games later, when leading 4-3, he was the player that had three break points, but the American player couldn't convert any.
That could hurt him only a few games later, as he faced break points at 5-5, which was also a little match point for Zverev. The German player, however, couldn't use it, and as a result, the match was decided in the third-set tie-break.
In the tie-break, Fritz served better and he also managed to bait his opponent into making errors. He worked his way to match points, and he was able to convert the first one, winning the match 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3) to reach the final of the 2024 ATP Finals.
In the final, he will play against the winner of the match between Sinner and Ruud, with the Italian player heavily favored, especially in front of the home crowd.
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