Taylor Fritz became the first American to reach the ATP Finals title match in 18 years by beating Alexander Zverev in three thrilling sets.
Fritz advanced to the final on Sunday in Turin, Italy, with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) victory, his fourth win over second-seeded Germany this year only.
He will face the winner of tonight’s second semi-final between world number one Jannik Sinner and Norwegian Casper Ruud.
Not since 2006, when James Blake lost to Roger Federer, has an American player reached the final of the season-ending tournament, with Pete Sampras being the last to win it in 1999.
“It was tough in the second and third sets,” said fifth-seeded Fritz.
“I felt like I almost played the perfect first set, things felt good, and then things can change so quickly when you play someone like (Zverev).”
Ahead of Sunday’s final, the 27-year-old told Sky Sports: “I want to play exactly like I played in the first set.
“I’m going to have to play like that. It’s going to be a different game.”
Zverev, a French Open finalist, had advanced to the semi-finals and had not lost his serve in his three group matches, but that would change against an inspired Fritz.
Although he saved Fritz’s first break chance, he could only hit a blistering forehand into the net on his second as the American took a 4-2 lead.
Annoyed, Zverev took only one point on Fritz’s serve for the rest of the first set.
After a love hold from Zverev in the first game of the second, drama ensued on Fritz’s serve when the chair umpire ruled the ball had bounced twice before a diving Zverev comes into contact.
The 27-year-old German requested a review which, after a long wait greeted by boos and whistles from the crowd, proved that Zverev had reached the ball in time and the point was replayed.
Two games later, Zverev got the break that would decide the second set with a powerful forehand while on the back foot proved too difficult for Fritz to get back over the net.
In the deciding set, only three points were lost on serve in the first four games before Fritz, who reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open in September, handed his opponent a triple point break with three successive errors on his racket.
The American saved the first with an ace before forcing Zverev to make two misses and ultimately hold on.
But as the set continued on serve, the pressure mounted, with both players knowing that whoever got a break would likely win the match.
Zverev withstood a nervy match, saving three break points, before failing to convert two at 5-5 after Fritz let a 40-15 lead slip away.
A love hold from the German forced a tie-break, but it was Fritz who took control from there, taking a point from Zverev at the first opportunity before a superb cross-court forehand match point only guaranteed that his Tour season would last one more day. .
Later on Saturday, Britain’s Henry Patten and his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara were eliminated from the doubles in a narrow 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-4) semi-final defeat to the top seeds , Croatian Mate Pavic. and Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador.
