Last year in Turin, Jannik Sinner became the first man to win Nitto ATP Finals without losing a set since Lendl in 1986. He may just do it again in 2025.
The Italian pushed past Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 37 minutes to advance to the semifinals of the ATP’s season-ending championships, and he has done it without dropping a set.
“Very close match,” said Sinner. “I felt like I was serving very well in the important moments, I tried to play the best tennis possible when it mattered, and fortunately today it went my way.”
Make that 14 consecutive sets won at the ATP Finals, a stat that was cheered on boisterously by the packed house at the Inalpi Arena in Turin on Wednesday as Sinner also increased his indoor hard court winning streak to 28.
Sinner is now 12-2 lifetime at the ATP Finals, and stands at second all-time in terms of winning percentage at the event.
Sinner made it five consecutive victories over Zverev (with four coming in 2025) to improve his overall record against the third-ranked German to 6-4.
Zverev had chances early, but didn’t capitalize.
The 28-year-old had two break points in the opening game, but came away empty.
Still he produced lights out serving until the final game, and even saved two set points while serving at 4-5. But Zverev couldn’t hang on and was victimized two points later on the third set point as Sinner pushed the envolope, rifled groundstrokes down both lines and snuck into net to push a volley winner into the open court for a 6-4 lead in 47 minutes.
Ten forehand winners for Sinner to zero for Zverev in the first set don’t tell the whole story, but they do hint at why Zverev lost the set despite making 87 percent of his first serves, and winning 19 of 26 of his first-serve points.
“I’m very happy with how I returned his serve,” Sinner said. “It’s very difficult – he has one of the best serves in the game.”
Sinner’s work wasn’t done. He had to deliver three high quality first serves from 0-40 down in the third game, which left Zverev gesturing to his box as if to say “What do I have to do?”
Zverev had another break point in the fifth game, which also went begging, and that was Sinner’s cue to pounce. The Italian broke in style in the next game, placing an acutely angled drop shot where Zverev couldn’t even bother to chase for 4-2.
The final nail in the coffin came when Zverev missed a first-serve return into the net at break piont down in the next game.
Sinner faced sevenm break points in total on the day, and made his first serve on each of them.
He held or 5-2 and finished the match out two games later to improve to 55-6 on the season.
Sinner will face Ben Shelton in his last round robin match of the week, while Zverev will face Felix Auger-Aliassime for the second semifinal spot.
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