Sinner and Fritz aim for early qualification to SF | Nitto ATP Finals

This Tuesday there could be a first singles player qualified for the semifinals of the Nitto ATP Finals. In just the second day of Group Ilie Nastase, Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz will face each other, each with a chance to seal their advance to the next phase in advance. Of course, they depend on the result of the duel between Daniil Medvedev and Álex de Minaur during the same day.

The Italian would qualify with a victory added to another by De Minaur over Medvedev. Also if he wins in straight sets and Medvedev prevails in three sets. Fritz, for his part, will advance to the semifinals of the tournament for the second time in his career if he wins and Medvedev does so against De Minaur, or if he wins in two sets and the Australian wins in the decider.

In doubles, the Mike Bryan Group will also present some intriguing matches. Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson will compete against Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten before second seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos take on Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic.

[1] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs [5] Taylor Fritz (USA)
Tuesday’s final match will be a repeat of the US Open final last September, when the Italian won in straight sets to win his second Grand Slam title and leave his Lexus ATP HeadToHead at 2-1 with the American.

But that’s not the only reason why Sinner will have confidence before a new duel with Fritz. The No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings has won his last seven meetings, including Sunday against debutant Álex de Miñaur in straight sets.

Although his rival also comes from winning with the same forcefulness, and against a former tournament champion like Daniil Medvedev.

“I have to be at my best if I want to win or get close,” said the 2023 pageant finalist about his confrontation with Fritz. “It’s going to be difficult, I know that. I know I will have to raise my level, so I hope I can do it. I feel like he’s improved a lot in the last year and a half, two years. He’s serving much better, hitting the ball very, very hard. “He is a great competitor.”

Fritz is making his second appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, having reached the semi-finals in 2022. Although he is no stranger to Turin, the World No. 5 comes into this tournament with a different mindset.

“My first time [en Turín]”I was a substitute, no one expected much from me,” said Fritz about that edition in which he even beat Rafael Nadal. “I was playing with house money, without pressure. Now, I’m putting more expectations on myself to do better, I’m simply a better player.”

[4] Daniil Medvedev vs [7] Alex de Minaur (AUS)
It is safe to say that power will not be a very common condiment in the first singles on Tuesday in Turin, but the intelligence behind each blow will be.

“We have played many matches and we have had many battles,” De Minaur said of his rivalry with Medvedev. “I’ve always looked forward to those games because I think we’re both tactical when we play against each other.”

That has been evident in the nine previous duels between the two, from the first one they played in the 2018 Sydney final and which Medvedev won, to the last one in the round of 16 at Roland Garros this year in which the current No. 9 of the team prevailed. PIF ATP Rankings.

After their respective defeats on Sunday, both will be even more careful with each blow when trying to avoid early elimination and maintain the hope of passing the Ilie Nastase group.

Medvedev, who leads the Lexus ATP HeadToHead 6-3 between them, is still aiming for his fourth qualification to the semi-finals of the Nitto ATP Finals. While De Minaur still wants to make his first time in the competition memorable. A win this Tuesday would elevate him, at worst, to No. 8 in the live rankings.

doubles action
Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson will look to build on the impressive start they made on their debut in Turin when they take on Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten in a rematch of this year’s Wimbledon final. Both teams secured wins in the Mike Bryan Group opener on Sunday, so it’s set to be another high-quality battle. At 1-1 is the Lexus ATP Head2Head between them.

Second seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos will open the afternoon session against Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic, as both teams seek their first victory in this year’s event. This is a repeat of the 2020 semi-finals, which Koolhof/Mektic won in straight sets en route to lifting the trophy.