ATP Finals: Taylor Fritz beats Alexander Zverev, becomes first American to reach final since 2006

NEW DELHI: Tennis star Taylor Fritz secured a spot in the ATP Finals title match on Saturday by defeating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3) in Turin.
The American will face either world number one Jannik Sinner or Casper Ruud in Sunday's final, aiming to become the first American since Pete Sampras in 1999 to claim the prestigious title. James Blake was the last American to reach the final in 2006.
Fritz could potentially have the opportunity to avenge his loss to Sinner in the US Open final, should the Italian advance to the championship match.
The third set was a closely contested affair, with both players squandering numerous breakpoint opportunities. However, Fritz maintained his composure in the tiebreak to secure his place in the final.
Sinner, the home favourite, will be backed by a passionate crowd as he vies for his first ATP Finals title. The Italian has had an exceptional year, winning seven tournaments, including his maiden Grand Slam victories at the Australian and US Opens.

Despite losing last year's final to Novak Djokovic, Sinner has already secured the distinction of becoming the first Italian to top the ATP year-end rankings.
However, Sinner's season has been marred by controversy after twice testing positive for traces of the banned substance clostebol in March.
While initially cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed in late September, seeking a potential two-year ban for the Italian.
Regardless of the outcome, the ATP Finals final promises to be a captivating encounter, with Fritz aiming to etch his name in American tennis history and Sinner striving to cap off a remarkable season amidst the backdrop of an ongoing doping case.