ATP Finals: Defending Champion Sinner Sinks De Minaur, Returns To Title Match

ATP Finals: Defending champion Sinner sinks de Minaur, returns to title match (Image Source: IANS)

Defending champion Jannik Sinner of Italy continued his dominant run, winning his 30th consecutive match indoors as he powered to the championship match of the ATP Finals for the third consecutive year on Saturday, defeating Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-2 to maintain his perfect record against the Australian.

Sinner, who did not drop a set or his serve throughout the round-robin stage of the event, was in his element in front of his vocal home support in Turin. The Italian remained patient in the first set, converting on his eighth break point to gain the advantage. The 24-year-old then overwhelmed the resilient de Minaur with his intensity and clean ball striking in the second set to become the youngest player since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 to reach three finals at the prestigious year-end event.

“First of all, I am very happy,” Sinner said. “It is the last event of the year, and it is great to finish in this way. It was a very tough match, especially at the beginning of the first set. I felt like he was serving great, very precise. In the second set, I broke very early, and then my level rose," he was quoted as saying by the ATP Tour.

"I tried to be a bit more aggressive, and it worked well, but it was a tough match. But making the final for three consecutive years means a lot to me. It is a great atmosphere for me to play tennis and a great place for me to close this beautiful season. Tomorrow I will enjoy and try my best to get the best possible result,” he added.

Sinner has won his past 30 indoor matches, with his last defeat coming against Novak Djokovic in the championship match in northern Italy two years ago. He has since captured indoor titles in Rotterdam, Turin, Vienna, and Paris, while he helped guide Italy to Davis Cup glory on two occasions.

The second seed will aim to add to his growing trophy cabinet when he meets Carlos Alcaraz or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the title match on Sunday. Alcaraz, who is chasing his first trophy at the year-end event, secured ATP Year-End No. 1 honours by going 3-0 in the round-robin stage this week, ending Sinner’s quest.

Sinner now leads de Minaur 13-0 in the pair’s ATP head-to-head series, having beaten the 26-year-old en route to titles at the Australian Open, Beijing, and Vienna this season.

Inside a packed Inalpi Arena, de Minaur briefly silenced the 13,000-strong home crowd when he surged to 0/40 in Sinner’s opening service game. But when he failed to convert, the Italian steadied and never looked back. From that moment on, the World No. 2 bided his time, probing for openings.

De Minaur dug deep, covering every inch of the court and fending off seven break points to keep pace. But at 5-5, Sinner finally pierced his opponent's defence, ripping a backhand winner down the line to break. The Italian, who won 59 percent of points on De Minaur’s second serve in the set, closed out on serve to lead.

Inside a packed Inalpi Arena, de Minaur briefly silenced the 13,000-strong home crowd when he surged to 0/40 in Sinner’s opening service game. But when he failed to convert, the Italian steadied and never looked back. From that moment on, the World No. 2 bided his time, probing for openings.

For de Minaur, the defeat bookends an otherwise standout year. The Australian finishes with a 56-24 record, his first season surpassing the 50-win mark, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. De Minaur’s lone title of 2025 came at the ATP 500 event in Washington.

Article Source: IANS