‘I have a reason to smile as it was a good match in brilliant atmosphere’
Jannik Sinner wrapped up a flawless group stage at the ATP Finals with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Daniil Medvedev on Thursday, sending the Russian packing from the tournament.
Sinner, the world number one, had already secured his semi-final spot earlier in the day when Alex de Minaur won the opening set in his match against Taylor Fritz. With just one set needed to guarantee top spot in the Ilie Nastase Group, Sinner sealed Medvedev’s elimination from the event.
The home crowd in Turin was treated to yet another stellar performance from the Italian, as he clinched three wins from three, ensuring his place in the semi-finals. “I have a reason to smile, it was a good match and a brilliant atmosphere as always,” Sinner said. “It was a tough match, Daniil and I know each other well, so I knew I had to get the tactics right… Let’s see who I face in the semis, I’m happy to be there.”
Medvedev needed a straight-sets victory to advance but has now won only one of his last nine matches against Sinner, who dominated their latest encounter. Reflecting on his season, Medvedev, who finished the year without a title, admitted disappointment. “I would rate my season ‘zero out of 10’ based on where I set my goals and where I ended up,” he said. “I want to be number one, but I didn’t play well enough this year.”
Despite his struggles, Medvedev was proud of his ranking of world number four. “I’m super proud of being No. 4, especially after such a tough year,” he added. “Every practice, every match was a struggle.”
Sinner, chasing his first ATP Finals title after a standout year in which he won seven tournaments, including his first Grand Slam titles at the Australian and US Opens, heads into the semi-finals with confidence. Although he lost last year’s final to Novak Djokovic, who withdrew from this year’s event due to injury, Sinner will finish the season as the first Italian to top the ATP rankings.
However, his season has been clouded by controversy following two positive tests for clostebol, a steroid, in March. He was initially cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, but the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed in September, seeking a potential two-year ban.
Meanwhile, world number five Taylor Fritz advanced to the next round after rallying from a set down to beat Alex de Minaur 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. “I wouldn’t say it’s my time yet, but I’ve been improving a lot over the last couple of years,” Fritz said. “I’m playing great tennis, and I’m excited about how much more I can improve.”
On Friday, Carlos Alcaraz will aim to join the semi-finals when he faces Alexander Zverev. The Wimbledon and French Open champion currently sits third in the JohnNewcombe Group.