Taylor Fritz rallied to defeat Alex De Minaur 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 at the ATP Finals on Thursday, keeping his semifinal hopes alive. In a thrilling three-set battle in Turin, Fritz’s win also meant an early exit for De Minaur, who managed to take a set and, in doing so, secured Jannik Sinner’s place in the semifinals.
Sinner, now confirmed in the knockout stage, faces Daniil Medvedev in his final group match. A victory would guarantee the Italian top spot in the Ilie Nastase Group. Fritz, on the other hand, can advance alongside Sinner if Medvedev wins at least one set in front of the home crowd.
Reflecting on his chances, Fritz said, “If I don’t get through, it’s going to be tough because I played two very good matches. But if that happens, I’m happy with my week and leave with my head held high.”
Sinner enters the semifinals following an extraordinary season, capturing seven tournament titles, including his first Grand Slam victories at the Australian and US Opens. Already confirmed as the first Italian to top the ATP year-end rankings, Sinner is focused on claiming his first ATP Finals title, a year after falling to Novak Djokovic in the 2022 final. Djokovic, however, is absent this year due to an injury.
Sinner’s season has also seen off-court challenges. In March, he tested positive twice for traces of clostebol, a steroid. Initially cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed in September, seeking a potential two-year suspension.
