World No. 1 Jannik Sinner became the first Italian to win the ATP Finals after defeating Taylor Fritz in straight sets. The Italian ace has had one of the greatest individual seasons in tennis history.

Despite his historic achievements in 2024, Sinner has avoided comparing himself to other modern greats. He believes in carving his own path rather than drawing comparisons with other players.

Whether or not Sinner matches the level of the ‘Big 3’ (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic), he is already a part of tennis history. Notably, he has achieved something Nadal never did by winning the ATP Finals.

Additionally, Sinner has joined Federer and Djokovic as players who have won both hard court Grand Slams (Australian Open and US Open) and the ATP Finals in the same year. Federer accomplished this in 2004, 2006, and 2007, while Djokovic did so in 2015 and 2023.

Jannik Sinner’s tactical plan to beat Taylor Fritz in the ATP Finals

Taylor Fritz was once again overwhelmed by Jannik Sinner’s dominance in short rallies. The World No.1 defeated the American 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Nitto ATP Finals, just as he did in their earlier round-robin match. Sinner’s ability to control the first four shots of the point proved decisive.

In the final, 74% of all points were short rallies, highlighting their importance. Sinner outplayed Fritz in this category, winning 46-40 in short rallies, replicating his six-point advantage from their round-robin clash.

Sinner also edged Fritz in mid-length rallies (5-8 shots) by one point, 8-7, and in long rallies (9+ shots) by two points, 9-7. These margins mirrored their earlier match. Fritz struggled to adjust his tactics, failing to disrupt Sinner’s consistent first-strike strategy.

When broken in key moments, such as at 3-3 in the first set and 2-2 in the second, Fritz lost most points in short rallies, exposing his inability to counter Sinner’s quick exchanges effectively.

Sinner’s Serve +1 forehand tactic was a key weapon in the match. He hit 28 forehands as his first shot after the serve, winning an impressive 75% of those points. In contrast, Fritz managed only 17 Serve +1 forehands and won 53%.

Sinner’s ability to dictate points early with his forehand gave him a significant edge. Fritz’s reliance on his backhand, which he used far more often than his forehand, limited his ability to seize control of rallies.

Fritz’s lack of variety also hurt his chances. While he won 7 of 8 net points, he didn’t come forward often enough to pressure Sinner. The 2022 Indian Wells champion won only 37% of his baseline points in the match, showing his struggle to compete in extended exchanges. Despite the loss, Fritz ends the year on a high note, achieving a career-best ranking of No. 4 in the ATP rankings.