Alcaraz exits ATP Finals as Zverev & Ruud progress
Carlos Alcaraz is knocked out of the 2024 ATP Finals following a straight-set defeat by Alexander Zverev in Turin.
Carlos Alcaraz is knocked out of the 2024 ATP Finals following a straight-set defeat by Alexander Zverev in Turin.
They say lightning never strikes twice. Perhaps Taylor Fritz disagrees.
The American’s sizzling hitting against Alex de Minaur features in the latest Nitto ATP Finals Immersive Highlight, which aims to help attract a younger audience and present ATP tennis in a new and innovative way during the 2024 season finale. Thanks to a combination of Augmented Reality technology, 3D modelling and live data, fans can enjoy a baseline barrage from Fritz that ends with a forehand thunderbolt!
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
The semi-finals for the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals are set.
Jannik Sinner won the Ilie Nastase Group and will face Casper Ruud, the second-placed finisher in the John Newcombe Group. They will compete in the evening match, not before 8:30 p.m.
Sinner has won both of the pair’s previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings, which came in Vienna in 2020 and 2021. The Italian triumphed in straight sets on both occasions.
Two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev topped the John Newcombe Group and will take on Taylor Fritz, who came in second in the Ilie Nastase Group.
Fritz leads his series with Zverev 6-5, having claimed four of their previous five clashes, including three straight victories this year. Fritz most recently emerged victorious 6-4, 7-5 at the Laver Cup. They will meet in the first semi-final not before 2:30 p.m.
In doubles, fifth seeds Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson will face eighth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in the afternoon. Top seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic will battle seventh seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten in the evening.
[ATP AWARDS]ORDER OF PLAY – SATURDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 2024
CENTRE COURT start 12 p.m.
[8] Kevin Krawietz (GER) / Tim Puetz (GER) vs [5] Max Purcell (AUS) / Jordan Thompson (AUS)Not Before 2:30 p.m.
[2] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs [5] Taylor Fritz (USA)
Not Before 6 p.m.
[7] Harri Heliovaara (FIN) / Henry Patten (GBR) vs [1] Marcelo Arevalo (SLV) / Mate Pavic (CRO)
Not Before 8:30 p.m.
[1] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs [6] Casper Ruud (NOR)
Casper Ruud sealed his spot in the semi-finals at the Nitto ATP Finals for the third time on Friday night in Turin, where he overcame Andrey Rublev 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to end the World No. 9’s own progression hopes.
Ruud needed just a set to join the John Newcombe group winner Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals but ensured he would finish the round-robin stage with a 2-1 record after producing a high-class third-set performance against Rublev.
HE’S DONE IT 😤@CasperRuud98 defeats Rublev 6-4 5-7 6-2 and is back in the semi-finals for a third time in Turin!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/Y3OO9rxL22
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 15, 2024
Ruud arrived in Turin having lost his past four matches but has looked close to his best this week, also defeating Carlos Alcaraz.
“Tennis is interesting sometimes. I don’t know what I am doing better this week than the past few weeks but the only thing is serving, I am serving really well,” Ruud said after reaching the semis. “It is tough to play the best players in the world but nice because you feel you are an underdog and can play free and you know if you don’t bring your A plus level you will likely lose.
“I knew coming into this match that a set was enough to qualify, so I was a bit nervous at the start. So when I got that first set I could breath out a little. I still focused on the match and finished with a good third set.”
[ATP AWARDS]Ruud fired 34 winners and stepped into court behind pinpoint first serves to gain the upper hand in the baseline exchanges. With his one-hour, 45-minute victory, Ruud improved to 3-5 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Rublev.
Ruud fell to Novak Djokovic in the title match at the prestigious year-end event in 2022 and also reached the semi-finals on debut in 2021. The Norwegian will face the No 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner in the last four on Saturday night, while Alexander Zverev takes on Taylor Fritz in the day.
Ruud trails Sinner 0-2 in the pair’s Head2Head series, but they have not met since 2021.
“I think so for sure,” Ruud said when asked if he is the underdog against Sinner. “He is the best player in the world all year and is playing at home and has not dropped a set all week. He is the player to beat this year and I am going to do my best. It seems like this guy almost forgot how to lose. I will see if I can come up with something to challenge here. I will be prepared for probably the toughest match of the year.”
Rublev ends the season 43-26, highlighted by his run to the title at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid. The 27-year-old went 0-3 in the round-robin stage in Turin, where he also lost to Zverev and Alcaraz.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Katie Boulter cruises past Germany’s Laura Siegemund with a straight-sets win to put Great Britain into the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals in Malaga.
Emma Raducanu beats Germany’s Jule Niemeier in straight sets to give Great Britain a crucial 1-0 lead in the Billie Jean King Cup in Malaga.
Carlos Alcaraz was left ruing a few “key moments” he failed to capitalise on in his match against Alexander Zverev at the Nitto ATP Finals. The defeat at the hands of the German, which means he is almost certainly knocked out of Turin, tipped their Lexus ATP Head2Head in favour of his opponent (6-5). The Murcia native’s focus will now be on the Davis Cup Final 8, where he will join Rafael Nadal to represent Spain.
“The tie-break was pretty close, with a lot of points I could have played better,” lamented the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “At 6/5, I don’t know what I was thinking when I tried to volley that ball… That’s tennis for you; you have to make choices in less than a second and sometimes you get it wrong.
“Losing the set in that way hurts,” he admitted. “In the second, I was at 0/40 after several stupid points and I was in trouble. I have to learn from these moments because I didn’t make the most of the chances I had.”
[ATP AWARDS]Despite starting the week off battling illness, Alcaraz managed to get through his days in Italy with the help of antibiotics, rest and a nose strip to help him breathe (which he wore again in his match against Zverev) and a lot of self-belief that he could turn a situation around and reach the semi-finals, as he did in 2023.
“It was a difficult week for me, but it’s a privilege to be here among the eight best players in the world,” Alcaraz said. “I’m going to learn from what has happened. I played good tennis, but today I faced one of the best. I’m disappointed with the defeat,” he continued.
“One of my goals is to reach this part of the year feeling fresher. I was better than last year, but not good enough. I want to be as fresh as possible mentally and enjoy every one of my matches.”
How does he do that?
“It’s going to be impossible to reach this part of the year feeling fresh, but I have to play my best tennis even if I’m mentally tired,” the Spaniard explained. “That’s what good players do. How can I improve it? By practising every day with as much desire as possible. I have an amazing team and they have a very clear vision. They can help me and guide me well for this part of the season.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Poland reach the last eight of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals with a 2-0 victory over Spain in Malaga.
Alexander Zverev with his victory against Carlos Alcaraz Friday at the Nitto ATP Finals did more than clinch his spot atop the John Newcombe Group. The German also guaranteed he will finish the year at No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
Zverev is No. 2 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and now has a 905-point lead over No. 3 Alcaraz. While the Spaniard still can qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals semi-finals, he can no longer catch Zverev for World No. 2.
This is the highest year-end finish of Zverev’s career and the seventh time he will complete a season in the Top 10. The 27-year-old’s previous-best finish came in 2021 when he was year-end No. 3.
Zverev is two matches from earning the third Nitto ATP Finals trophy of his career. In 2024 he has already triumphed in Rome and Paris, both ATP Masters 1000 events.
Alcaraz is locked into a year-end World No. 3 finish. Two years ago he became the youngest ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF in history. Last year he finished No. 2.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
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