Norway’s Casper Ruud hits a return to Jannik Sinner of Italy during their ATP Finals semi-final.—AFP
Norway’s Casper Ruud hits a return to Jannik Sinner of Italy during their ATP Finals semi-final.—AFP

TURIN: Imperious home favourite and world number one Jannik Sinner outclassed Norway’s Casper Ruud to set up an ATP Finals title decider against Taylor Fritz on Saturday.

Sinner was unstoppable as he dispatched Ruud 6-1, 6-2 in the evening session at a packed Inalpi Arena and will be favourite to become Italy’s first winner of the prestigious year-ender.Sinner’s stupendous year may have been clouded by an anti-doping controversy but on the court he is finishing the season like an express train and has won 25 of his last 26 matches.

The 23-year-old was razor-sharp against Ruud and was in complete control after breaking serve in the second game. He has reached the final without dropping a set.

“I raised my level and I was intense with each shot,” Sinner, who beat Fritz in the US Open final and also in the group stage in Turin, said on court.

“It’s a similar circumstance to last year. I’ll just try to play my best tomorrow and hopefully it’ll be a good day.”

Sinner lost in the final to Novak Djokovic last year having beaten the Serb in an earlier group match.

“I’ve grown a lot as a player,” added Sinner, who struck 23 winners in a one-sided contest.

In the doubles El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo and Croatia’s Mate Pavic, the top seeds, beat seventh seeds Harri Heliovaara (Finland) and Henry Patten (Britain) 7-6(1), 7-6(4) to set up a final against German duo Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.

Krawietz and Puetz saved a match point in beating Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson 2-6, 6-3, 11-9.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...
Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...