Jannik Sinner will have a huge psychological edge on Jannik Sinner when they meet in the decisive match of the ATP Finals on Sunday after the American admitted he is in awe of the Italian.
Sinner stormed into the final of the end-of-year championships on the ATP Tour for a second successive year with a crushing 6-1, 6-2 win against Casper Ruud as he turned on the style in a one-sided semi-final.
Now he will face Fritz for a second time in this tournament after beating the American in the group phase and he will take on Fritz for a fifth career meeting knowing his feelings about the Sinner and his great rival Carlos Alcaraz after he made these comments to the Tennis Channel.
“One thing both of those guys do is… their defence is incredible,” said Fritz.
“They don’t really play that much defence. When they are full on the run out in the corners, they just crush the ball.
“I can be in a backhand cross (court) rally with either one of them and if I hit a forehand, it’s got to be so good or else that next ball is getting just drilled huge cross court.
“They just play these lateral baseline points… like we used to see Nadal and Fed and most you saw Nadal and Novak have these long points, corner to corner.
“When Sinner and Alcaraz do it corner to corner, they have these same rallies but I swear they are hitting the ball ten miles an hour faster. It’s just crazy.”
The clinical nature of Sinner’s performances in front of his Italian fans in Turin has added to his aura and he admitted he has moved up a level after his win against Ruud.
“It would mean a lot to win in Italy, but a lot can happen in these kinds of matches,” said Sinner.
“Let’s see what’s coming. I’m just happy to be in a position where I can fight for a really important title for my career and lets see what is coming.”
Reflecting on his match against Ruud he added: “I felt like I was returning really well in the first game and when I went up a break I tried to be really concentrated with the service games.
“I was a couple of break points down in the first set and then fortunately I managed to get through. I raised my level and tried to be quite intense with it.
“I’m happy with my performance and happy to be in the final. I’ve grown as a player since last year.
“Very similar circumstances because we [Taylor Fritz] already played in the round robin format and will play again in the final.
“I just try to play the best I can tomorrow. Anything can happen. It’s been a very positive week and year so I’m really happy.”
Former British No 1 Laura Robson saluted Sinner’s immaculate performance, as she suggested Ruud was powerless to halt his march.
“I don’t know if Casper could’ve done that much differently,” Robson told Sky Sports Tennis.
“It was really that Sinner was a much better player than he was on the day.
“He can walk off and be happy knowing that the week has gone better than he perhaps at first thought and that he made the semi-finals.
“It’s one of those matches where you get to the locker room and feel a bit shocked.
“He will feel like he could’ve done a better job but it’s hard to say where that could be.”
