Tri Match Stats/Reports - Sinner vs Fritz, US Open final, Year End Championship round robin & final, 2024

[Waspsting]

Jannik Sinner beat Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in the US Open final, 2024 on hard court

It was Sinner’s first title at the event and second Slam, following the Australian Open earlier in the year. He was the top seed and had won Cincinnati in the lead in to the event. Fritz was playing his first Slam final and was seeded 12

Sinner won 96 points, Fritz 79

Serve Stats
Sinner...
- 1st serve percentage (43/85) 51%
- 1st serve points won (38/43) 88%
- 2nd serve points won (20/42) 48%
- Aces 6
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (23/85) 27%

Fritz...
- 1st serve percentage (53/90) 59%
- 1st serve points won (36/53) 68%
- 2nd serve points won (16/37) 43%
- Aces 10
- Double Faults 4
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (27/90) 30%

Serve Patterns
Sinner served...
- to FH 40%
- to BH 49%
- to Body 11%

Fritz served...
- to FH 40%
- to BH 56%
- to Body 5%

Return Stats
Sinner made...
- 59 (26 FH, 33 BH), including 5 runaround FHs
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 17 Errors, comprising...
- 6 Unforced (3 FH, 3 BH)
- 11 Forced (6 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (59/86) 69%

Fritz made...
- 57 (26 FH, 31 BH)
- 2 Winners (2 BH)
- 17 Errors, comprising...
- 11 Unforced (5 FH, 6 BH)
- 6 Forced (4 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (57/80) 71%

Break Points
Sinner 6/12 (8 games)
Fritz 2/7 (3 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sinner 17 (12 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV, 2 OH)
Fritz 16 (10 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 1 OH)

Sinner's FHs - 3 cc, 1 dtl, 2 inside-out, 1 inside-out/dtl, 2 inside-in (1 return), 1 longline, 1 longline/inside-in, 1 drop shot
- BHs - 1 dtl, 1 running-down-drop-shot dtl pass at net

- both OHs were on the bounce

Fritz' FH - 3 cc, 1 cc/inside-in, 2 dtl (1 at net), 2 inside-out, 2 inside-in at net
- BHs - 2 dtl (1 return, 1 at net), 1 inside-out return

- 1 FHV was a swinging cc

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sinner 31
- 16 Unforced (10 FH, 4 BH, 2 FHV)... both FHVs were swinging, non-net shots
- 15 Forced (9 FH, 5 BH, 1 BHV)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net & 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.3

Fritz 52
- 38 Unforced (22 FH, 13 BH, 2 FHV, 1 OH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net, 1 swinging FHV & 1 OH on the bounce from the baseline
- 14 Forced (8 FH, 6 BH)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.3

(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Sinner was 8/12 (67%) at net, with...
- 0/1 forced back

Fritz was 12/17 (71%) at net

Match Report
As unsubtle a match as there can be. Both players crash, boom, bang everything they can reach. And Sinner is better at it, QED. Court is quick-ish

Exceptions to crash, boom, bang -
- a few beautifully, sliced very wide serves by Fritz (amidst crash, boom, bang serving in general)
- for last set and a game, Sinner retreats to return from well-back. Thumps returns from there too, but its too far back to be overwhelming
- small number of FH drop shots from Sinner

Just about everything else - serve, return, groundies - go crash, boom, bang from both players. Even the very small amount of volleying, as both players like to swing volley

Serve-return contest is split - Fritz with better serve, Sinner with better return. Who has better of the combo is unclear, but it would be imperative for Fritz to because…
Sinner has better of court action that follows, very clearly - he moves better, defends better, and can keep up the crash, boom, banging groundies for longer

First serve in - Sinner 51%, Fritz 59%
First serve ace rate - Sinner 14%, Fritz 19%
Unreturned serves - Sinner 27%, Fritz 30%

… in context of Sinner returning from fence for a set (that is, being harder to ace or draw return error from) and Fritz being very aggressive with the return (that is, missing good few going big)

Pretty clear Fritz serves better. His is more powerful and better placed. Amidst the full blast stuff, he sends down some lovely, very wide sliced ones that send Sinner outside doubles alley

51% in count from Sinner is rather poor. He only has 1 more ace than double fault (Fritz has 6 more) too. He’s under some pressure on second serve because Fritz wallops them for winning or potentially winning returns

Another way of looking at is Sinner doing what he needs to with his first serve
First serve points won - Sinner 88%, Fritz 68%

Sinner ends match on unbroken run of 29 consecutive first serve points won, which might be some kind of a record @Moose Malloy . Last such point he loses is in his last service game in first set. He doesn’t give impression of holding back on the serve though, i.e. more a case of his serving is indicator of his capabilities, not some masterfully calibrated showing with respect to his opponents abilities. It would also be strange if masterfully calibrated showing resulted in 51% in count

For 2 sets, both players return from classic, standard position - couple paces behind baseline for first serves, around baseline for seconds. Fritz moving a little further forward as he makes second returns. And both thump returns. Starting last return game of second set, Sinner moves back to well-back position and remains there for rest of match

Sinner’s moves much better for the the return, with Fritz not good enough to handle the hefty first serve he’s faced with. Fritz with more powerful and wider placed first serves. Sinner returning his own calibre first serves would likely be able to return without undue trouble, but combo of healthy pace and moderate width is enough to draw errors and weak returns from the slower Fritz. The 88% first serve points won isn’t all about the serve shot, but its good enough for given opponent

Sinner faces much more troubling first serve and its too much for him from normal position. Fritz cruises through serve in second set, and Sinner’s better for falling back and able to make a few more returns from the more defensive position

Both players hammer second returns. Sinner clincially, in line with rest of ground game. Fritz, with pointed, aggression.

 

[Waspsting]

Between a third and little over half of Sinners 12 ground FEs are drawn by blasted returns to the baseline, with some being wide on top of as deep as possible and Fritz has a couple of winners too. Good lot more that Sinner has to virtually half-volley from near baseline. 8/11 Frtiz return UEs are against second serves also - a fair price to pay for the damage his returns do. 48% second serve points won from the considerably better playing Sinner is a win for Fritz. Its good move to go for so much on the return, and he executes well

Fritz wins still lower 43% second serve points. Sinner with clinically good, neutralizing returns + being sizably better court player is behind that, not pointedly aggressive returning

Winners - Sinner 17, Fritz 16
Errors Forced - Sinner 14, Fritz 15
UEs - Sinner 16, Fritz 38
UEFIs - both 46.3

Looks like your run of the mill one guy much better at keeping ball in play and/or Fritz playing badly. It isn’t because the ball striking is about as intense as can be. Crash, boom, bang from both players, virtually all the time, dual beat-down action

Sinner does so clinically, matter-of-factly. Just normal business for him.
Fritz is more strained. More hit and miss
Exactly in line with UE difference, the only significant one between the players

Sinner gets down for his strokes in normal fashion. Fritz is often upright. What your taught not to do in lesson 2

Sinner maintains his hitting standard from sides of court. Fritz’ tends to drop from similar position. ‘Sides of court’ here means slightly away from center. It’s a ball-bashing, power-contest of a match, not a move-opponent around and rarely does either player yank the other as far out as the sidelines. As hard as they’re hitting, ball that wide would likely go for winner (especially against the slower Fritz)

Sinner always well balanced. Fritz tends to be a little off, particularly off to the sides

And Sinner more consistent. Fritz isn’t sloppy, the errors don’t come quickly and he isn’t even beaten down particularly. Hits back just hard, but isn’t as comfy with the pace and does give up the error most of the time

UE breakdown -
- Sinner BH 4
- Sinner FH 10
- Fritz BH 13
- Fritz FH 22
… with neutral UEs Sinner 9, Fritz 21

Pretty clear cut. Neither player pointedly implements majority FH play, but its probably in Frtiz’ best interest. He smacks BHs as well as FHs, but is less capable of staying even with Sinner off that wing power for power (let alone consistency). On FH at least, he can match him for power and has better chances of going for his shots. Rally directions tend to meat-&-potatoes cc exchanges, without many line change-ups

He doesn’t have many chances for going of shots. Sinner’s stock hitting - FHs or BHs - never let up of force. Even when Fritz leads rally and hammers balls, Sinner’s upto handling the pace and hammering back without hint of giving up weak ball. The opposite is less true (Frtiz weakens some when moved to side), though Fritz turns to cough out pressured UEs rather than weak balls Sinner can attack more flagrantly

Errors forced - Sinner 14, Fritz 15
Attacking UEs - Sinner 4, Fritz 10

Winners - Sinner 17, Fritz 16
Winner attempt UEs - Sinner 3, Fritz 7

Again, clear cut. Favouring Sinner even more than numbers suggest since large lot of errors Fritz forces are with the return (the errors for which aren’t included in the above figures)

What else? Few drop shots from Sinner. He’s got a winner and draws a couple of errors with it. Fritz’ not great footspeed on show in his handling of it

Very little net play - 12 approaches by Sinner, 17 by Fritz with some of it drop shot related and much of rest forced follow-ups to deal with very weak returns
No serve-volleys and once rally gets underway, would be very difficult to get a good approach off with such intense hitting
3/4 volleying UEs in match are swing volleys. So is 1/3 volley winners. Two players want to crash, boom, bang even the volleys. Its not a subtle match. At all

Match Progression
Big serving + ball-bashing (hard but not wide hitting) marks first set, and Sinner’s better hitter (more consistent, more persistent with the power) and can keep it up from sides of court better
And small matter of Sinner with 60% first serves in, to Fritz’ 38% makes things comfy for Sinner

Sinner starts match with a FH dtl winner and goes on to break after outlasting Frtiz for couple baseline errors and on break point, Frtiz misses an OH on the bounce from the baseline

Frtiz breaks back for 2-2 with some big, damaging early taken second returns. Winning return to the baseline to start, a BH inside-out return winner soon after, Sinner throws in double fault late in the game and on break point, Sinner misses a swinging volley from no-man’s land

Frtiz consolidates in 8 point game saving break point. He makes 2/11 first serves in his 2 remaining service games after that and is broken both times. He does continue to throw out damaging returns occasionally, but not enough to be much threat to break and Sinner wraps up 6-3 set with 2 the 2 break advantage

Second set is thoroughly server and mostly serve-shot dominated
After 9 holds, Sinner’s lost 1 point per hold, Fritz 0.5
Fritz in count goes up to 78% and he has 5 aces in those first 4 holds and unreturned rate of 67%. Sinner wins all 14 of his first serve points (his unreturneds for set is more human 36% and partially result of Fritz missing big second returns), and maintain command of baseline rallies

Gaining no counter-play, Sinner drops back to backboard to return down 40-15 as Fritz serves for 4-4. Fritz responds with a slower, very wide first serve that hard forces error anyway

Sinner remains in the backward position next go around, Fritz makes 2/5 first serves and Sinner makes all the returns. Baseline UEs from Fritz follow and on break/set point, Sinner lands a winning BH dtl

Sinner remains in that returning position for all of third set, including against second serves. He’s able to belt second serves quite hard from there anyway and doesn’t have trouble moving up to baseline afterwards so as not to be have to play a defensive or reactive game

His in count though falls to 14/35 or 40%, with a few double faults and Frtiz still looking to attacks second serves. Fritz not as consistently successful at it as earlier, but still gets good ones off now and then
Big return to baseline and brutal hitting get Fritz to 0-40 in opening game. Sinner holds from there with strong serves and when necessary, follow-up power shots
Fritz saves 2 break points in holding for 3-3 then breaks to 15 in an all second serve game

Rare show of something other than brute force from Fritz in drop shotting Sinner to net, then lobbing him back to baseline and finishing with a smash winner at net himself, followed by a FHV winner set up a strong FH inside-in takes score to 15-40. Sinner double faults to give up the game

Couple of double faults from Fritz too in consolidating for 5-3 in a deuce game. It turns out to be the last game he wins

Serving for set, he’s broken to 30, despite making 4/6 first serves, with Sinner beating out a couple FH errors, Fritz missing a FH inside-in’ish winner attempt and on break point, a forced to net Frtiz a little to slow to handle a not difficult volley

Sinner breaks again to end the match, in a not good game from Fritz. Double fault to open, missed swinging FHV where he seems to change his mind in choosing to swing at ball are Fritz’ main negative contributions to the game and he misses another FH on first break/match point

Summing up, the simplest of matches: Both players hammer everything in reach - serves, returns, groundstrokes, even volleys somewhat. Sinner’s more regular, more at ease, and moves better doing all that. His dropping back to get more returns in play against the very big serve of Fritz is a good move

Fritz’ serve is bigger and better than opponent, but his movements on the return keeps him from returning any better. He’s wise to attacks second serves, and has decent success so doing with blasted returns deep and sometimes wide, with few misses trying

Baseline action is very hard-hitting and biased to FH, with Sinner coming up better in all ways - shading power, and with larger advantages in persistence, shot tolerance, movement, defence, with Fritz a little awkward off balance and not quick to degree likely to cause problems for himself, but the power he’s outdone by would knock over almost anybody

 

[Galvermegs]

Sinner can really neautralise big serves well. A definite nole trait of his.

Fritz should have won the 3rd set but how many major final newcomers can win from 2 sets down against the heavy favorite and world no1?

 

[Moose Malloy]

Sinner ends match on unbroken run of 29 consecutive first serve points won, which might be some kind of a record

Thanks. There are a number of players mentioned in this thread who won all their first serve points in an entire match. Tops is Kyrgios in a DC match vs Darcis(43/43)

Consecutive points won on 1st serve

33 from 33 for Vasek Pospsil against Diego Schwartzman in the first round of Shanghai Masters

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

 

[Waspsting]

Sinner beat Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the Year End Championship round robin, 2024 on indoor hard court in Turin, Italy

The two would go onto contest the final, with Sinner again winning by the same scoreline. Sinner would top the round robin group with 3-0 record, Fritz would finish second with 2-1 record. The other two players in the group were Daniil Medvdev and Alex de Minaur

Sinner won 70 points, Fritz 60

Serve Stats
Sinner...
- 1st serve percentage (39/66) 59%
- 1st serve points won (30/39) 77%
- 2nd serve points won (16/27) 59%
- Aces 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (19/66) 29%

Fritz...
- 1st serve percentage (38/64) 59%
- 1st serve points won (30/38) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (10/26) 38%
- Aces 7
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (17/64) 27%

Serve Patterns
Sinner served...
- to FH 42%
- to BH 50%
- to Body 8%

Fritz served...
- to FH 38%
- to BH 56%
- to Body 6%

Return Stats
Sinner made...
- 47 (26 FH, 21 BH), including 4 runaround FHs
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 8 Forced (2 FH, 6 BH)
- Return Rate (47/64) 73%

Fritz made...
- 47 (22 FH, 25 BH)
- 13 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (3 FH, 2 BH)
- 8 Forced (2 FH, 6 BH)
- Return Rate (47/66) 71%

Break Points
Sinner 2/6 (4 games)
Fritz 0/1

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sinner 15 (11 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV)
Fritz 13 (9 FH, 1 BH, 1 FHV, 2 OH)

Sinner's FHs - 2 cc at net, 1 cc/inside-in at net, 1 dtl/inside-out, 3 inside-out (1 at net), 1 inside-in, 1 longline/inside-in, 2 drop shots
- BHs - 2 dtl passes, 1 longline

Fritz' FH - 3 cc (1 at net), 2 inside-out, 2 inside-in (1 at net), 1 longline/cc, 1 drop shot
- BH - 1 dtl

- 1 OH was on the bounce

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sinner 30
- 19 Unforced (10 FH, 8 BH, 1 FHV)
- 11 Forced (7 FH, 4 BH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.8

Fritz 36
- 28 Unforced (16 FH, 11 BH, 1 BHV)
- 8 Forced (2 FH, 5 BH, 1 Tweener)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 43.9

(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Sinner was 7/9 (78%) at net, with...
- 1/1 retreated

Fritz was 11/15 (73%) at net, with...
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Toned down version of the US Open final, Sinner is still better at a few things, but Fritz’s showing is improved and Sinner’s superiority isn’t a categoric one like previous encounter. Court is quick

Action is still hard hitting from both players, but not to undiluted crash, boom, banging everything in sight by both players extent; they engage in just normal, pressuring hard hitting play as staple

In US Open, Fritz strained to power hit. Here, he’s collected
There, Sinner’s advantage in movement, consistency, shot tolerance/defence was self-evident; Any 3 minute period in match would show it

Here, its not so clear. Much of time, Fritz a match for him. At times, Fritz better even
Still, ultimately Sinner’s still better at all those things overall. That’s not necessarily why he wins

Virtually equal first serve in (both 59%) and first serve won (Sinner 77%, Fritz 79%) leave things to be decided by second serve points
Second serve points won - Sinner 59%, Frtiz 38%

Its not as clear cut as it looks
1 break for Sinner in each set and both end the sets
Both games feature low in count (1/5 and 1/6) and bad second serve points showing (0/4 and 1/5)

Remaining 10 service games, Fritz has so little as 50% first serves in just once - and that’s a love hold. While sans the two breaks, he wins 53% second serve points

To lose both sets by being broken and for both such games to feature drastically lower in count (his in count sans those 2 games is 68%) than other games, hints at some mental issue, though it can also just be a coincidence

Or Fritz not being able to sustain hitting, movement, shot tolerance to necessary standard for as long as Sinner does, which, while true, is very secondary to the low in counts in the break games

He’s not strained to match Sinner in these areas most of the time, and Sinner with slight advantages in all of them. Not enough to override obstacle of a big serve but if match goes on long enough, odds are on Sinner making breakthrough

In the event, falling in-count and let down games result in the necessary breaks, but a good, improved showing from Fritz here

Serve & Return
Serving quality similar, Fritz with edge in power (less so than other match)
On return, Sinner little quicker to move and handle difficult serves, but Fritz improved. And Fritz not pointedly looking to attack with second return as he had in previous match

Near even number of serves obviates needs for looking at percentages. Sinner serves 1 more first serve and 1 more second serve than Fritz

Unreturned serves - Sinner 29%, Fritz 27%
Fritz with 1 more ace
Both players forcing 8 return FEs
Sinner with 2 return UEs, Fritz 5
No double faults in match

For starters, unreturneds are low for good quality serving on quick court, so credit both players returning. Both players returning from normal positions

Its Sinner who sends down some big second serves. If Fritz first serve is a touch bigger, Sinner uses second serve more aggressively. Only occasionally - most of time, its like Frtiz’ a healthy second serve that’s not easy to attack and it being weapon calibre effective is the exception

Return UEs being only real difference sums things up. Sinner having fewer lapses
Otherwise, things about even - both with strong first serves, both with decent seconds, both doing well making a lot of returns, both looking to return heartily
2% lead in freebies is Sinner’s net reward from serve-return contest, virtually all of it due to staying on the ball a little more often

 

[Waspsting]

Play - Baseline (& Net)
Hard hitting, dual winged biased to FH action
Two players well matched, with Sinner able to stay on ball longer. Fritz not straining to keep up with him otherwise

Winners - Sinner 15, Fritz 13
Errors Forced - Sinner 8, Fritz 11
(aggressively ended points - Sinner 23, Fritz 24)
UEs - Sinner 19, Fritz 28

Very similar to US Open. Action’s a little different
Hard hitting action, but not as intense previous match
Here, Fritz almost an equal partner in the hitting contest. Takes awhile in rallies for Sinner’s slight advantages of consistency, shot tolerance and movement to manifest. Unlike previous match, where its evident at a glance and Fritz’ strains to stay as close as he does

Again, only real difference is in the UEs. UE breakdown -
- FHs - Sinner 10, Fritz 16
- BHs - Sinner 8, Fritz 11

Fritz near matching hitting on BH is a surprise. He goes dtl attackingly occasionally too, while staying close on errors (with tend to be pressured out). Both with 1 BH winner in baseline rallies, with Sinner having couple of passes to go with it

Neutral UEs - Sinner 12, Fritz 19
Attacking UEs - Sinner 3, Frtiz 7
Winner attempt UEs - Sinner 4, Fritz 2

Neutrals are simply Sinner’s minor advantages in shot tolerance and movemvent coming together
Attacking UEs are more interesting because in baseline rallies, errors forced read Sinner 7, Fritz 3

That’s Sinner being a little tougher to putaway with power. Frtiz defends ably too - considerably better than other match - but still trails in this area. 7 attacking UEs for forcing 3 errors from back is a fail for Fritz, and more credit to Sinner for tough defence than discredit to Frtiz’ vigour.

Net points - Sinner 7/9, Fritz 11/15

Fritz needs the net position, on top of a potentially point ending strong groundie to finis points. Sinner does not. Funnily Sinner has just 1 volley winner and forces no passing errors. The 7net points he wins are 4 groundstroke winners at net and a point where he’s forced back from net

Some bad drop shots from both players, especially Fritz. Sinner’s groundstroke at net winners are against such drop shots. Fritz has 1 such too, but Sinner has 2 drop shot winners

Taking net against power hitting on show is scarcely feasible. The net points are either to deal with drop shots or behind very powerful approach shots - the approach shot being sign of the player (Fritz) ‘winning’ a baseline rally (as in, overpowering Sinner), not involving volleying skills

Gist - good, competitive contest. Both hitting pressuringly hard off both wings and unlike US Open match, Fritz contained in staying close to Sinner’s exceptional base standard

Just a few things Sinner’s a little better at, or more regular in. Movement, shot resistance, defence. It adds up over time, but only real manifestation is Fritz making a few more pressured FH errors

Match Progression
Good first set, with both returners having their moments

Sinner opens with love hold and extends Frtiz to deuce (no break points), with among other things, consecutive winning BHs (1 cc, 1 dtl), but strong serves see Frtiz through

Momentum goes to Fritz and Sinner endures 10 and 14 point holds as score reaches 4-3. Just 1 break point across the two games, but tough times for Sinner. Gorgeous BH inside-out, FH inside-out 1-2 ending with a winner by Fritz to start the first those of games off, and he hangs in on error front amidst hard hitting FH play

Couple of good second serves from Sinner helps to take the game for 3-2
Fritz responds with impressive, aggressive hold to love (FHV winner, ace and 2 winning BH dtl’s - the second a clean thrid ball winner on the run)

And Sinner goes through the hoop right after in 14 point hold, where he blinks up the ground UEs in tough rallies. Saves only break point with a wide, third ball FH cc. Another highlight of the game is Sinner drop shotting Fritz in, lob-volleying him back from no-man’s land and taking net to win a point, and strong serves see him home again

1 crucial, second return miss by Frtiz in each of the long games. 1 of them against a good serve, though still marked a UE

Fritz is down 0-40 in game 8, with an aggressive FH miss and 2 third ball UEs. He comes out ahead in couple tough rallies to reach deuce and goes on to hold

Good game by Sinner to break and end the set, helped by Fritz making 1/5 first serves. Other than that, Fritz misses an easy BHV and most of the rest if down to Sinner. He withstands a barrage of power to comes away with a point, hits a drop shot winner after Fritz thinks better of approaching behind a FH dtl and gets himself into bad position, and finishes with a powerful FH longline that forces error

Similar hardy, competitive action in second set. Fritiz faces a break point in game 6, which he erases with a big serve + 1 FH play and goes on to hold in 12 points

Fritz has 0-30 next game with a bad choice FH UE and BH error against a good deep ball from Sinner. At 30-30, Fritz comes in behind a strong approach and Sinner pulls of a superb BH dtl pass winner on the run before holding

Set (and match) again ends with a break, with Fritz again missing first serves. This time, he makes just 1/6

He misses BHs against deep shots, and an excellent BH dtl turns another point Sinner’s way, which he consummates with putaway FH winner from near the service line. Fritz blinks up BH cc UE to put match to bed

Summing up, good match and good showings from both players. Sinner typically strongly solid off both wings, while being powerful. Odd big second serve to go with his norm strong serving

Frtiz not too far behind. Slightly stronger first serve, with a second on par with Sinner’s, save the odd pointedly big one from opponent. Unlike US Open match, he’s not pointedly gung-ho with the second return, but thumps returns from normal position normally

Off the ground, both players hard hitting off both wings. Sinner a little more consistent, a little better shot tolerance and moving a little better, with Fritz only occasionally being a bit slow or slack

These differences would push odds Sinner’s way and it takes low in counts on top of them for him to actually score the necessary breaks

In all, good signs for Fritz’ future prospects and he looks a bona fida top-5 player and worthy potential Slam champion. At US Open, he didn't quite look like he belonged

 

[Galvermegs]

Play - Baseline (& Net)
Hard hitting, dual winged biased to FH action
Two players well matched, with Sinner able to stay on ball longer. Fritz not straining to keep up with him otherwise

Winners - Sinner 15, Fritz 13
Errors Forced - Sinner 8, Fritz 11
(aggressively ended points - Sinner 23, Fritz 24)
UEs - Sinner 19, Fritz 28

Very similar to US Open. Action’s a little different
Hard hitting action, but not as intense previous match
Here, Fritz almost an equal partner in the hitting contest. Takes awhile in rallies for Sinner’s slight advantages of consistency, shot tolerance and movement to manifest. Unlike previous match, where its evident at a glance and Fritz’ strains to stay as close as he does

Again, only real difference is in the UEs. UE breakdown -
- FHs - Sinner 10, Fritz 16
- BHs - Sinner 8, Fritz 11

Fritz near matching hitting on BH is a surprise. He goes dtl attackingly occasionally too, while staying close on errors (with tend to be pressured out). Both with 1 BH winner in baseline rallies, with Sinner having couple of passes to go with it

Neutral UEs - Sinner 12, Fritz 19
Attacking UEs - Sinner 3, Frtiz 7
Winner attempt UEs - Sinner 4, Fritz 2

Neutrals are simply Sinner’s minor advantages in shot tolerance and movemvent coming together
Attacking UEs are more interesting because in baseline rallies, errors forced read Sinner 7, Fritz 3

That’s Sinner being a little tougher to putaway with power. Frtiz defends ably too - considerably better than other match - but still trails in this area. 7 attacking UEs for forcing 3 errors from back is a fail for Fritz, and more credit to Sinner for tough defence than discredit to Frtiz’ vigour.

Net points - Sinner 7/9, Fritz 11/15

Fritz needs the net position, on top of a potentially point ending strong groundie to finis points. Sinner does not. Funnily Sinner has just 1 volley winner and forces no passing errors. The 7net points he wins are 4 groundstroke winners at net and a point where he’s forced back from net

Some bad drop shots from both players, especially Fritz. Sinner’s groundstroke at net winners are against such drop shots. Fritz has 1 such too, but Sinner has 2 drop shot winners

Taking net against power hitting on show is scarcely feasible. The net points are either to deal with drop shots or behind very powerful approach shots - the approach shot being sign of the player (Fritz) ‘winning’ a baseline rally (as in, overpowering Sinner), not involving volleying skills

Gist - good, competitive contest. Both hitting pressuringly hard off both wings and unlike US Open match, Fritz contained in staying close to Sinner’s exceptional base standard

Just a few things Sinner’s a little better at, or more regular in. Movement, shot resistance, defence. It adds up over time, but only real manifestation is Fritz making a few more pressured FH errors

Match Progression
Good first set, with both returners having their moments

Sinner opens with love hold and extends Frtiz to deuce (no break points), with among other things, consecutive winning BHs (1 cc, 1 dtl), but strong serves see Frtiz through

Momentum goes to Fritz and Sinner endures 10 and 14 point holds as score reaches 4-3. Just 1 break point across the two games, but tough times for Sinner. Gorgeous BH inside-out, FH inside-out 1-2 ending with a winner by Fritz to start the first those of games off, and he hangs in on error front amidst hard hitting FH play

Couple of good second serves from Sinner helps to take the game for 3-2
Fritz responds with impressive, aggressive hold to love (FHV winner, ace and 2 winning BH dtl’s - the second a clean thrid ball winner on the run)

And Sinner goes through the hoop right after in 14 point hold, where he blinks up the ground UEs in tough rallies. Saves only break point with a wide, third ball FH cc. Another highlight of the game is Sinner drop shotting Fritz in, lob-volleying him back from no-man’s land and taking net to win a point, and strong serves see him home again

1 crucial, second return miss by Frtiz in each of the long games. 1 of them against a good serve, though still marked a UE

Fritz is down 0-40 in game 8, with an aggressive FH miss and 2 third ball UEs. He comes out ahead in couple tough rallies to reach deuce and goes on to hold

Good game by Sinner to break and end the set, helped by Fritz making 1/5 first serves. Other than that, Fritz misses an easy BHV and most of the rest if down to Sinner. He withstands a barrage of power to comes away with a point, hits a drop shot winner after Fritz thinks better of approaching behind a FH dtl and gets himself into bad position, and finishes with a powerful FH longline that forces error

Similar hardy, competitive action in second set. Fritiz faces a break point in game 6, which he erases with a big serve + 1 FH play and goes on to hold in 12 points

Fritz has 0-30 next game with a bad choice FH UE and BH error against a good deep ball from Sinner. At 30-30, Fritz comes in behind a strong approach and Sinner pulls of a superb BH dtl pass winner on the run before holding

Set (and match) again ends with a break, with Fritz again missing first serves. This time, he makes just 1/6

He misses BHs against deep shots, and an excellent BH dtl turns another point Sinner’s way, which he consummates with putaway FH winner from near the service line. Fritz blinks up BH cc UE to put match to bed

Summing up, good match and good showings from both players. Sinner typically strongly solid off both wings, while being powerful. Odd big second serve to go with his norm strong serving

Frtiz not too far behind. Slightly stronger first serve, with a second on par with Sinner’s, save the odd pointedly big one from opponent. Unlike US Open match, he’s not pointedly gung-ho with the second return, but thumps returns from normal position normally

Off the ground, both players hard hitting off both wings. Sinner a little more consistent, a little better shot tolerance and moving a little better, with Fritz only occasionally being a bit slow or slack

These differences would push odds Sinner’s way and it takes low in counts on top of them for him to actually score the necessary breaks

In all, good signs for Fritz’ future prospects and he looks a bona fida top-5 player and worthy potential Slam champion. At US Open, he didn't quite look like he belonged

Ive always had some faith in fritz but i think this is his ceiling. I cant take to sinner, pre or post scandal but he is a good match player with very few mental frailties.

 

[bach1224]

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this their rr match and not the final?

 

[Galvermegs]

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this their rr match and not the final?

I think thats the intent here. Comparing their consecutive meetings.

I respectfully disagree with fritz coming in with a 'strong' approach. Pace was there but it still gave such an elite move like sinner enough time. A bit less pace and more placement may have worked. I am watching a lot of matches from past masters like edberg and rafter and so it may be unfair to expect fritz to be a great netplayer, but he is barely servicable. His reaction told the story. Sinner is a difficult player to come in against but that one point could have helped him in the rivalry, maybe even made the final closer. Yet of course we can never count a dominant no1 player escaping from 0-40.

I recall his net game letting a pretty depleted rafa survive to a paycheck at 2022 wimbledon (and leave kygrios perhaps undercooked for the final).

 

[Waspsting]

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this their rr match and not the final?

Yeah looks like it
First time I've ever statted a match by mistake
Many thanks for pointing this out, watch this space now

 

[nolefam_2024]

Sinner beat Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the Year End Championship round robin, 2024 on indoor hard court in Turin, Italy

The two would go onto contest the final, with Sinner again winning by the same scoreline. Sinner would top the round robin group with 3-0 record, Fritz would finish second with 2-1 record. The other two players in the group were Daniil Medvdev and Alex de Minaur

Sinner won 70 points, Fritz 60

Serve Stats
Sinner...
- 1st serve percentage (39/66) 59%
- 1st serve points won (30/39) 77%
- 2nd serve points won (16/27) 59%
- Aces 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (19/66) 29%

Fritz...
- 1st serve percentage (38/64) 59%
- 1st serve points won (30/38) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (10/26) 38%
- Aces 7
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (17/64) 27%

Serve Patterns
Sinner served...
- to FH 42%
- to BH 50%
- to Body 8%

Fritz served...
- to FH 38%
- to BH 56%
- to Body 6%

Return Stats
Sinner made...
- 47 (26 FH, 21 BH), including 4 runaround FHs
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 8 Forced (2 FH, 6 BH)
- Return Rate (47/64) 73%

Fritz made...
- 47 (22 FH, 25 BH)
- 13 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (3 FH, 2 BH)
- 8 Forced (2 FH, 6 BH)
- Return Rate (47/66) 71%

Break Points
Sinner 2/6 (4 games)
Fritz 0/1

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sinner 15 (11 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV)
Fritz 13 (9 FH, 1 BH, 1 FHV, 2 OH)

Sinner's FHs - 2 cc at net, 1 cc/inside-in at net, 1 dtl/inside-out, 3 inside-out (1 at net), 1 inside-in, 1 longline/inside-in, 2 drop shots
- BHs - 2 dtl passes, 1 longline

Fritz' FH - 3 cc (1 at net), 2 inside-out, 2 inside-in (1 at net), 1 longline/cc, 1 drop shot
- BH - 1 dtl

- 1 OH was on the bounce

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sinner 30
- 19 Unforced (10 FH, 8 BH, 1 FHV)
- 11 Forced (7 FH, 4 BH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.8

Fritz 36
- 28 Unforced (16 FH, 11 BH, 1 BHV)
- 8 Forced (2 FH, 5 BH, 1 Tweener)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 43.9

(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Sinner was 7/9 (78%) at net, with...
- 1/1 retreated

Fritz was 11/15 (73%) at net, with...
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Toned down version of the US Open final, Sinner is still better at a few things, but Fritz’s showing is improved and Sinner’s superiority isn’t a categoric one like previous encounter. Court is quick

Action is still hard hitting from both players, but not to undiluted crash, boom, banging everything in sight by both players extent; they engage in just normal, pressuring hard hitting play as staple

In US Open, Fritz strained to power hit. Here, he’s collected
There, Sinner’s advantage in movement, consistency, shot tolerance/defence was self-evident; Any 3 minute period in match would show it

Here, its not so clear. Much of time, Fritz a match for him. At times, Fritz better even
Still, ultimately Sinner’s still better at all those things overall. That’s not necessarily why he wins

Virtually equal first serve in (both 59%) and first serve won (Sinner 77%, Fritz 79%) leave things to be decided by second serve points
Second serve points won - Sinner 59%, Frtiz 38%

Its not as clear cut as it looks
1 break for Sinner in each set and both end the sets
Both games feature low in count (1/5 and 1/6) and bad second serve points showing (0/4 and 1/5)

Remaining 10 service games, Fritz has so little as 50% first serves in just once - and that’s a love hold. While sans the two breaks, he wins 53% second serve points

To lose both sets by being broken and for both such games to feature drastically lower in count (his in count sans those 2 games is 68%) than other games, hints at some mental issue, though it can also just be a coincidence

Or Fritz not being able to sustain hitting, movement, shot tolerance to necessary standard for as long as Sinner does, which, while true, is very secondary to the low in counts in the break games

He’s not strained to match Sinner in these areas most of the time, and Sinner with slight advantages in all of them. Not enough to override obstacle of a big serve but if match goes on long enough, odds are on Sinner making breakthrough

In the event, falling in-count and let down games result in the necessary breaks, but a good, improved showing from Fritz here

Serve & Return
Serving quality similar, Fritz with edge in power (less so than other match)
On return, Sinner little quicker to move and handle difficult serves, but Fritz improved. And Fritz not pointedly looking to attack with second return as he had in previous match

Near even number of serves obviates needs for looking at percentages. Sinner serves 1 more first serve and 1 more second serve than Fritz

Unreturned serves - Sinner 29%, Fritz 27%
Fritz with 1 more ace
Both players forcing 8 return FEs
Sinner with 2 return UEs, Fritz 5
No double faults in match

For starters, unreturneds are low for good quality serving on quick court, so credit both players returning. Both players returning from normal positions

Its Sinner who sends down some big second serves. If Fritz first serve is a touch bigger, Sinner uses second serve more aggressively. Only occasionally - most of time, its like Frtiz’ a healthy second serve that’s not easy to attack and it being weapon calibre effective is the exception

Return UEs being only real difference sums things up. Sinner having fewer lapses
Otherwise, things about even - both with strong first serves, both with decent seconds, both doing well making a lot of returns, both looking to return heartily
2% lead in freebies is Sinner’s net reward from serve-return contest, virtually all of it due to staying on the ball a little more often

This is not the finals , is it rr?

Sinner hit 15 Aces in the final. Not just 6.

 

[bach1224]

Yeah looks like it
First time I've ever statted a match by mistake
Many thanks for pointing this out, watch this space now

Lol yeah hard to tell because of the identical scorelines

I’ve been reading the forum for quite some time now, and these match reports are probably my favorite thing about it keep up the good work

 

[Galvermegs]

Lol yeah hard to tell because of the identical scorelines

I’ve been reading the forum for quite some time now, and these match reports are probably my favorite thing about it keep up the good work

One thing for sure that is identical is sinner's fist pump repetition. Truly something else.

 

[Waspsting]

Sinner beat Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the Year End Championship final, 2024

It was Sinner’s first title at the event and he won it without loss of set. It was Frtiz’ first final at the event.

Sinner won 63 points, Fritz 54

Serve Stats
Sinner...
- 1st serve percentage (40/56) 71%
- 1st serve points won (33/40) 83%
- 2nd serve points won (10/16) 63%
- Aces 14
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (18/56) 32%

Fritz...
- 1st serve percentage (46/61) 75%
- 1st serve points won (32/46) 70%
- 2nd serve points won (9/15) 60%
- Aces 8, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (21/61) 34%

Serve Patterns
Sinner served...
- to FH 50%
- to BH 43%
- to Body 7%

Fritz served...
- to FH 44%
- to BH 51%
- to Body 5%

Return Stats
Sinner made...
- 38 (19 FH, 19 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 BH)
- 11 Forced (6 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (38/59) 64%

Fritz made...
- 38 (19 FH, 19 BH)
- 4 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 2 Forced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- Return Rate (38/56) 68%

Break Points
Sinner 2/6 (2 games)
Fritz 0/1

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sinner 14 (11 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV)
Fritz 11 (1 FH, 6 BH, 2 FHV, 2 OH)

Sinner's FHs - 3 cc, 4 inside-out (1 at net), 2 inside-in, 2 drop shots
- BHs - 1 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out

- the FHV was a swinging inside-in

Fritz' FH - 1 inside-in
- BHs - 3 cc, 2 dtl (1 pass), 1 inside-out

- 1 from a serve-volley point, a first volley OH

- 1 other FHV was a swinging cc & 1 other OH was on the bounce

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sinner 22
- 16 Unforced (9 FH, 7 BH)
- 6 Forced (4 FH, 2 BH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.9

Fritz 29
- 18 Unforced (11 FH, 6 BH, 1 FHV)
- 11 Forced (3 FH, 8 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.6

(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Sinner was 5/7 (71%) at net

Fritz was...
- 6/7 (86%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve

Match Report
More convincing win for Sinner than the round robin match. He serves categorically better and displays top class beat-down power baselining. Fritz serves sizably better than last match too but his gains are less than opponent in light of Sinner returning with more authority, and he’s considerably relegated to counter-punching role from back

Same 4 & 4 score
Same break points too - Sinner 2/6, Fritz 0/1 (Sinner only has break points in 2 games here, as opposed to 4 in round robin match)

In round robin, Sinner won 53.8% of points, serving 50.8% of them
Here, its 53.8%, serving 47.9%

While biggest eye-catching difference is Sinner’s ace bounty, its actually better returning showing that’s more important for shaping match outcome

59% first serve percentage in round robin by both players was good for server domination
Here, in-counts are up to Sinner 71%, Fritz 75%. Fritz taking a little something off the serve to get a count that high. Its still a formidable serve, but here first serve strength is virtually equal (in other 2 matches, Frtiz having better one) and Sinner has distinctly better second serve. Very good, damaging second serving from Sinner, without a double fault too

Does he always serve damaging second serves? Or is this an adjustment to Fritz’ fiery second returning in US Open? Whatever the case, his second serve here is more likely to force errors than invite stand-&-deliver finishing returning from on the baseline like the US match. Powerful, wide stuff and it leaves Fritz constantly under the gun when returning

To go with 14 aces (Fritz has 8) or huge 35% of first serves (more than double the 17% of the generally bigger serving Fritz. And 0 double faults (Fritz 2). The very best serving of Jannik Sinner? - while Fritz takes a little off first serves

Despite all off that, Fritz still leads unreturend serves 34% to 32%
Aces/Service Winners - Sinner 14, Fritz 9
Return errors forced - Sinner 2, Fritz 11
Returner UEs drawn - Sinner 2, Fritz 1

Fritz with just 4 return errors, while being aced 14 times is remarkable and probably the most extreme ratio I’ve seen. Small part of that is due to rarely not making full effort for return, which is normal enough on court like this. What could be hard forced return error hence turns into aces instead. Sinner by contrast, makes full effort all the time and makes those hard forced return errors, remains better mover & quicker reactor to get into position to get racquet on tough return to keep Fritz’ aces down some. Different ways to skin the same cat - virtually equal number of points won with the serve by both players

Returns made - both players 38 (19 FH, 19 BH). Cute coincidence, Sinner’s lot including a runaround FH is all that keeps it from being perfectly identical

Sinner returning with hefty authority is what really gives him edge in contest. He takes returns from substantially far back. In an era where returning from as far back as possible is common, doesn’t seem like it, but he’s more than half-way as far back as possible against first serves. Far enough that hefty returning would seem unlikely

He manages anyway. Same as his groundies - matter-of-fact firmly struck returns to get hard-hitting rally going from even position. Fritz tries, and can’t strike successful returns as cleanly, and Sinner with clearer initiative off third ball than other way around

That’s not quite it for serve-return contest, but numerical gist is Sinner returning at 64%, Frtiz 68%, with Sinner returning with fair more authority, and having no double faults to Fritz’ 2

 

[Waspsting]

When making the return (from returner's point of view), Sinner wins 47% points, Fritz 34% (with double faults included, Sinner goes up to 50% points)

If Sinner’s serve looks better, he has many more aces, his second serve is definitely better, he has no double faults, he returns with more authority, but Fritz still leads freebies by 2%, Fritz can’t be doing too badly. The balance of high in count and how little he’s taken off first serves to get that high an in count, the balance of serving strongly enough to draw hard forced error but not go for an ace… is superb, and just as commendable as Sinner’s more eye-catching showing

Sinner’s real, practical advantage is limited to no double faults, more damaging second serve (both for drawing error and weak return), and few more neutralizing returns. While trailing return rate by 4%

Then they rally -
Winners - Sinner 14, Fritz 11
Errors Forced - Sinner 11, Fritz 6
UEs - Sinner 16, Fritz 18

The reason serve-return doesn’t end with numbers is because high lot of both players winners and errors forced flow very directly from forcing weak return. Half-trackers that are dismissed with easy third ball winner or pounded to give a very commanding approach to net. For example, all 3 of Fritz’ BH cc winners are third ball shots of this type

Back to points won when when making return - Sinner 47%, Fritz 34%

Given high lot of putaway and easy attacking play points one right off the bat, 53% service points won by Fritz when return made is quite poor. It means once rally hits neutral - or even ‘server-not-with-big-advantage’, he loses most points. Sinner’s 66% points won, the opposite

Not much in way of winning or initiative snatching returns (what little there is is done by Sinner)
Essentially, Fritz has small window to win points; with the serve, or with big advantage accrued though the serve. Sinner has all that + bulk of everything that reaches neutral

Sinner’s hitting is at its best, especially off the BH, which wing sees more action than previous matches. Top-drawer, pressuringly powerful ‘neutral’ BHs. Fritz is at least pushed back to reacting, and while not hitting tamely himself, is soundly outhit and beat-back. As opposed to straining to stay close in round robin match

Neutral UEs - Both 9 (Fritz also with a rare defensive UE)
FH UEs - Sinner 9, Fritz 11 (including Fritz’ defensive UE)
BH UEs - Sinner 7, Frtiz 6

Looks an even contest. Fritz statistically winning the BH contest with his 5 baseline winners (+ 1 pass) to Sinner’s 2, though that’s’ deceptive

Almost all his winners are products of serve drawing weak return. Still, its good for him that he can finish with BH. Plenty of players who struggle to and runaround to hit FHs instead, which he’s probably not quick enough to - but his BH is is strong enough for him not to need to. He does move over to take FHs against Sinner’s stock BH cc sometimes in the other matches. Here, it wouldn’t be feasible against the full song rhythm Sinner gets into with easy, powerful BH cc’s

Fritz’ BH also has match high 8 FEs (just 3 are passes). Sinner’s able to overload it both with particularly powerful BH cc or FH dtl shots. Couple of winning returns in there too

Sinner prefers finishing with FH, where has leads winners 11-1, with 10/11 of them being baseline to baseline shots
Sinner leads errors forced in baseline rallies 8-4 (counting a Sinner running-down-drop shot error at net in this)

Like Fritz’ BHs, good lot of Sinner’s FH winners set up by big serve, but higher lot would be after taking command of 50-50 rally over course of few shots by pushing Fritz back. By contrast, almost all of Frtiz winners and errors forced flow out big serve

Unlike other matches, Fritz FH UEs don’t account for biggest chunk of points. That’d be product of more BH based action, Sinner using hitting advantage on that side to open up advantageous FH rallies after pinning Fritz back on BH side

Like other matches, net points are small (both with 7 approaches, Sinner wins 5, Fritz 6) and products of overpowering baseline play (often flowing out of big serve) and near token of nature, not much of a contest between volley and pass

Also like other matches, UEs are pressured out of both players and Sinner with movement, shot tolerance and ability to persist with pressuring power play advantage. Fritz is more prone to seemingly losing heart and stomach for the tough tussle here too

Match Progression
Server dominated opening set with just a couple of games that returner gets into. Sinner breaks in 14 point game, Fritz has a break point on the serve-out awhile later

Frtiz starts match with ace and third ball BH cc winner. Sinner responds with a BH dtl winner and loses game missing same shot

Sinner has 0-30 in game 5 before big serves see Fritz through

Breaks comes in game 7, a tough 14 point tussle. Fritz making 9/14 first serves, so nothing wanting on that front, but Sinner strikes with some clinically easy, but very effective returns

FH dtl return forces a BH error, that Fritz is a little slow to reach. He falls to 15-40 soon after
Saves first break point with a wrong footing, third ball BH inside-out winner. Apparently, he can play this rare shot. He had a similar play in round robin match. Ace takes of the second break point
The third break point is an exciting one where both players are close to net at different stages and both are strongly encouraged (if not forced) to back track to the baseline. Sinner eventually misses an attacking BH dtl with Frtiz having just reached safety of baseline
Sinner finally breaks with just-so shots. Error forcing BH dtl, error forcing BH inside-in return raise another break point, where he finishes pushed back Fritz with a drop shot winner

3 aces and 4 unreturned serves to consolidate to love; game is semi-tanked by Fritz and the aces not sure fire ones against a committed opponent. Fritz’ holds responds with a love game, 4 unreturned serves too (1 ace). The first 2 return errors he draws are from similar calibre serves that had gone for aces game before

As Sinner steps up to serve for set, he’s lost 1 service point in 4 holds

He loses 4 in the game, and has to save a break point, with Fritz stepping up
Overpowers Sinner to take first point, comes away with an unlikely, almost pick-up BH dtl pass winner awhile later, and raises break point with a BH dtl winner from routine position
Unreturned first serve takes care of break point, and Sinner wraps up set with his 10 ace couple points later

Second set is shorter but similar. Both players with 1 deuce game, Sinner breaking, Fritz not

At 30-15 in game 4, the returner Fritz has an easy FHV to open court set up by overpowering FH cc that he misses. Sinner goes on to hold, finishing with a particularly brutal series of BH cc’s even by very high standard of match

Fritz is broken from 30-0 up to fall behind 2-3
Double fault starts the process. Couple of winning dtl shots from Sinner (1 of each wing), and couple of FH UEs from Fritz. These kinds of point ending dtl shots in a settled rally showcase the difference between the players. Its not that Sinner lands such blows regularly, but he’s much more capable of doing so than Fritz

More of same next game. At 30-30, Sinner comes away with a bold BH dtl/inside-out winner, followed by another brute, point ending BH cc. Fritz doesn’t seem to have ability to dish out such a BH cc and Sinner would be more able to move to and defend against it if he did (Sinner’s stock ball also harder to treat so than Fritz’ is)

Fritz last 2 service games are love holds filled with winners. Sandwiched in between is a Sinner deuce hold which is oddly symmetrically

In game 7, Friz had stated with consecutive third ball BH cc winners. Pretty easy shots, set up by serve
Game after, Sinner strikes 2 similar FH cc winners in first 3 points. Fritz strikes a couple of winning FHs (inside-in and cc). Sinner with a couple of aces. And Sinner with a swinging, third ball FHV winner set up by another big serve

Next go around, Sinner serves out to 15, with bludgeoning FH play

Summing up, another good match with Sinner having better of it but not for the eye-stealing flurry of aces he dishes out; though having about half as many aces and taking something off first serves, Fritz actually wins higher lot of points via unreturned serves, and Sinner’s greater efforts on return and better movement for the shot to get racquet on ball doesn’t actually gain him any practical advantage

More importantly, Sinner is able to thump a few more neutralizing returns and Sinner has a damaging (power and placement) second serve that makes likelihood of Fritz responding in kind unlikely; Fritz doesn’t threaten to

Both players dismissing weak returns quickly and brutally
When rally gets underway, Sinner’s stock BH play controls action. Easy, but very strong hitting that pushes Fritz back to reacting and opens up other wing to Sinner’s advantage. Along with usual lot of Sinner being quicker, handling power better, more consistently keyed in, its enough to have decisive advantage

Fritz rarely able to squeeze out any counter-play with choice power hits from reactive position. He doesn’t fall back to outright defending though nor lash out wildly when being outhit; both would be understandable, though probably worse than what he does do. He lacks the speed and shot resistance to defend ably (especially against the formidable power that he’s up against) and it would take a very, very special shot-making display to breakout of Sinner’s power-hitting bubble

 

[Galvermegs]

When making the return (from returner's point of view), Sinner wins 47% points, Fritz 34% (with double faults included, Sinner goes up to 50% points)

If Sinner’s serve looks better, he has many more aces, his second serve is definitely better, he has no double faults, he returns with more authority, but Fritz still leads freebies by 2%, Fritz can’t be doing too badly. The balance of high in count and how little he’s taken off first serves to get that high an in count, the balance of serving strongly enough to draw hard forced error but not go for an ace… is superb, and just as commendable as Sinner’s more eye-catching showing

Sinner’s real, practical advantage is limited to no double faults, more damaging second serve (both for drawing error and weak return), and few more neutralizing returns. While trailing return rate by 4%

Then they rally -
Winners - Sinner 14, Fritz 11
Errors Forced - Sinner 11, Fritz 6
UEs - Sinner 16, Fritz 18

The reason serve-return doesn’t end with numbers is because high lot of both players winners and errors forced flow very directly from forcing weak return. Half-trackers that are dismissed with easy third ball winner or pounded to give a very commanding approach to net. For example, all 3 of Fritz’ BH cc winners are third ball shots of this type

Back to points won when when making return - Sinner 47%, Fritz 34%

Given high lot of putaway and easy attacking play points one right off the bat, 53% service points won by Fritz when return made is quite poor. It means once rally hits neutral - or even ‘server-not-with-big-advantage’, he loses most points. Sinner’s 66% points won, the opposite

Not much in way of winning or initiative snatching returns (what little there is is done by Sinner)
Essentially, Fritz has small window to win points; with the serve, or with big advantage accrued though the serve. Sinner has all that + bulk of everything that reaches neutral

Sinner’s hitting is at its best, especially off the BH, which wing sees more action than previous matches. Top-drawer, pressuringly powerful ‘neutral’ BHs. Fritz is at least pushed back to reacting, and while not hitting tamely himself, is soundly outhit and beat-back. As opposed to straining to stay close in round robin match

Neutral UEs - Both 9 (Fritz also with a rare defensive UE)
FH UEs - Sinner 9, Fritz 11 (including Fritz’ defensive UE)
BH UEs - Sinner 7, Frtiz 6

Looks an even contest. Fritz statistically winning the BH contest with his 5 baseline winners (+ 1 pass) to Sinner’s 2, though that’s’ deceptive

Almost all his winners are products of serve drawing weak return. Still, its good for him that he can finish with BH. Plenty of players who struggle to and runaround to hit FHs instead, which he’s probably not quick enough to - but his BH is is strong enough for him not to need to. He does move over to take FHs against Sinner’s stock BH cc sometimes in the other matches. Here, it wouldn’t be feasible against the full song rhythm Sinner gets into with easy, powerful BH cc’s

Fritz’ BH also has match high 8 FEs (just 3 are passes). Sinner’s able to overload it both with particularly powerful BH cc or FH dtl shots. Couple of winning returns in there too

Sinner prefers finishing with FH, where has leads winners 11-1, with 10/11 of them being baseline to baseline shots
Sinner leads errors forced in baseline rallies 8-4 (counting a Sinner running-down-drop shot error at net in this)

Like Fritz’ BHs, good lot of Sinner’s FH winners set up by big serve, but higher lot would be after taking command of 50-50 rally over course of few shots by pushing Fritz back. By contrast, almost all of Frtiz winners and errors forced flow out big serve

Unlike other matches, Fritz FH UEs don’t account for biggest chunk of points. That’d be product of more BH based action, Sinner using hitting advantage on that side to open up advantageous FH rallies after pinning Fritz back on BH side

Like other matches, net points are small (both with 7 approaches, Sinner wins 5, Fritz 6) and products of overpowering baseline play (often flowing out of big serve) and near token of nature, not much of a contest between volley and pass

Also like other matches, UEs are pressured out of both players and Sinner with movement, shot tolerance and ability to persist with pressuring power play advantage. Fritz is more prone to seemingly losing heart and stomach for the tough tussle here too

Match Progression
Server dominated opening set with just a couple of games that returner gets into. Sinner breaks in 14 point game, Fritz has a break point on the serve-out awhile later

Frtiz starts match with ace and third ball BH cc winner. Sinner responds with a BH dtl winner and loses game missing same shot

Sinner has 0-30 in game 5 before big serves see Fritz through

Breaks comes in game 7, a tough 14 point tussle. Fritz making 9/14 first serves, so nothing wanting on that front, but Sinner strikes with some clinically easy, but very effective returns

FH dtl return forces a BH error, that Fritz is a little slow to reach. He falls to 15-40 soon after
Saves first break point with a wrong footing, third ball BH inside-out winner. Apparently, he can play this rare shot. He had a similar play in round robin match. Ace takes of the second break point
The third break point is an exciting one where both players are close to net at different stages and both are strongly encouraged (if not forced) to back track to the baseline. Sinner eventually misses an attacking BH dtl with Frtiz having just reached safety of baseline
Sinner finally breaks with just-so shots. Error forcing BH dtl, error forcing BH inside-in return raise another break point, where he finishes pushed back Fritz with a drop shot winner

3 aces and 4 unreturned serves to consolidate to love; game is semi-tanked by Fritz and the aces not sure fire ones against a committed opponent. Fritz’ holds responds with a love game, 4 unreturned serves too (1 ace). The first 2 return errors he draws are from similar calibre serves that had gone for aces game before

As Sinner steps up to serve for set, he’s lost 1 service point in 4 holds

He loses 4 in the game, and has to save a break point, with Fritz stepping up
Overpowers Sinner to take first point, comes away with an unlikely, almost pick-up BH dtl pass winner awhile later, and raises break point with a BH dtl winner from routine position
Unreturned first serve takes care of break point, and Sinner wraps up set with his 10 ace couple points later

Second set is shorter but similar. Both players with 1 deuce game, Sinner breaking, Fritz not

At 30-15 in game 4, the returner Fritz has an easy FHV to open court set up by overpowering FH cc that he misses. Sinner goes on to hold, finishing with a particularly brutal series of BH cc’s even by very high standard of match

Fritz is broken from 30-0 up to fall behind 2-3
Double fault starts the process. Couple of winning dtl shots from Sinner (1 of each wing), and couple of FH UEs from Fritz. These kinds of point ending dtl shots in a settled rally showcase the difference between the players. Its not that Sinner lands such blows regularly, but he’s much more capable of doing so than Fritz

More of same next game. At 30-30, Sinner comes away with a bold BH dtl/inside-out winner, followed by another brute, point ending BH cc. Fritz doesn’t seem to have ability to dish out such a BH cc and Sinner would be more able to move to and defend against it if he did (Sinner’s stock ball also harder to treat so than Fritz’ is)

Fritz last 2 service games are love holds filled with winners. Sandwiched in between is a Sinner deuce hold which is oddly symmetrically

In game 7, Friz had stated with consecutive third ball BH cc winners. Pretty easy shots, set up by serve
Game after, Sinner strikes 2 similar FH cc winners in first 3 points. Fritz strikes a couple of winning FHs (inside-in and cc). Sinner with a couple of aces. And Sinner with a swinging, third ball FHV winner set up by another big serve

Next go around, Sinner serves out to 15, with bludgeoning FH play

Summing up, another good match with Sinner having better of it but not for the eye-stealing flurry of aces he dishes out; though having about half as many aces and taking something off first serves, Fritz actually wins higher lot of points via unreturned serves, and Sinner’s greater efforts on return and better movement for the shot to get racquet on ball doesn’t actually gain him any practical advantage

More importantly, Sinner is able to thump a few more neutralizing returns and Sinner has a damaging (power and placement) second serve that makes likelihood of Fritz responding in kind unlikely; Fritz doesn’t threaten to

Both players dismissing weak returns quickly and brutally
When rally gets underway, Sinner’s stock BH play controls action. Easy, but very strong hitting that pushes Fritz back to reacting and opens up other wing to Sinner’s advantage. Along with usual lot of Sinner being quicker, handling power better, more consistently keyed in, its enough to have decisive advantage

Fritz rarely able to squeeze out any counter-play with choice power hits from reactive position. He doesn’t fall back to outright defending though nor lash out wildly when being outhit; both would be understandable, though probably worse than what he does do. He lacks the speed and shot resistance to defend ably (especially against the formidable power that he’s up against) and it would take a very, very special shot-making display to breakout of Sinner’s power-hitting bubble

Fritz being comparatively pedestrian compared to most other top flight players is why i cant see him winning a major. But then i also didnt expect cilic or wawrinka for much of their earlier years on the circuit.

 

[Waspsting]

Fritz being comparatively pedestrian compared to most other top flight players is why i cant see him winning a major. But then i also didnt expect cilic or wawrinka for much of their earlier years on the circuit.

These guys are all hit & miss players, capable of losing to anyone on a given day, but also capable of beating anyone... its the 'win 7 matches in a row' thing that stumps them, not 'can he beat (insert great player who habitually skates into semi finals of every tournament)?'

List of 1 and 2 time Slam champs is filled with players of this type

With Frtiz right now, i wouldn't be surprsied if he won a Slam in his career, which is different from thinking that he will. But its a step in right direction for him

Hot 2 weeks for Fritz good enough to grab a Slam?

I also like the mentality he showed across these 3 matches
Sinner pounding ball after ball as if there's nothing else to do with them... Fritz can go into his shell or Fritz can lash out wantonly, and I think he'd lose worse doing either of those things, so he's been smart to play his own game through it

I've been meaning to ask. Your profile picture... what movie is that?

 

[Galvermegs]

These guys are all hit & miss players, capable of losing to anyone on a given day, but also capable of beating anyone... its the 'win 7 matches in a row' thing that stumps them, not 'can he beat (insert great player who habitually skates into semi finals of every tournament)?'

List of 1 and 2 time Slam champs is filled with players of this type

With Frtiz right now, i wouldn't be surprsied if he won a Slam in his career, which is different from thinking that he will. But its a step in right direction for him

Hot 2 weeks for Fritz good enough to grab a Slam?

I also like the mentality he showed across these 3 matches
Sinner pounding ball after ball as if there's nothing else to do with them... Fritz can go into his shell or Fritz can lash out wantonly, and I think he'd lose worse doing either of those things, so he's been smart to play his own game through it

I've been meaning to ask. Your profile picture... what movie is that?

I follow now. Yeah i dont mind if fritz does snatch a big title. He doesnt have tiafoe's magnetism but he is smarter and probably is better built for longer events (francis tired out in both his us open semis)

I am a big 80s partaker, so yeah i just went with a somewhat forgotten movie these days. 'Innerspace'.

 

[Drob]

When making the return (from returner's point of view), Sinner wins 47% points, Fritz 34% (with double faults included, Sinner goes up to 50% points)

If Sinner’s serve looks better, he has many more aces, his second serve is definitely better, he has no double faults, he returns with more authority, but Fritz still leads freebies by 2%, Fritz can’t be doing too badly. The balance of high in count and how little he’s taken off first serves to get that high an in count, the balance of serving strongly enough to draw hard forced error but not go for an ace… is superb, and just as commendable as Sinner’s more eye-catching showing

Sinner’s real, practical advantage is limited to no double faults, more damaging second serve (both for drawing error and weak return), and few more neutralizing returns. While trailing return rate by 4%

Then they rally -
Winners - Sinner 14, Fritz 11
Errors Forced - Sinner 11, Fritz 6
UEs - Sinner 16, Fritz 18

The reason serve-return doesn’t end with numbers is because high lot of both players winners and errors forced flow very directly from forcing weak return. Half-trackers that are dismissed with easy third ball winner or pounded to give a very commanding approach to net. For example, all 3 of Fritz’ BH cc winners are third ball shots of this type

Back to points won when when making return - Sinner 47%, Fritz 34%

Given high lot of putaway and easy attacking play points one right off the bat, 53% service points won by Fritz when return made is quite poor. It means once rally hits neutral - or even ‘server-not-with-big-advantage’, he loses most points. Sinner’s 66% points won, the opposite

Not much in way of winning or initiative snatching returns (what little there is is done by Sinner)
Essentially, Fritz has small window to win points; with the serve, or with big advantage accrued though the serve. Sinner has all that + bulk of everything that reaches neutral

Sinner’s hitting is at its best, especially off the BH, which wing sees more action than previous matches. Top-drawer, pressuringly powerful ‘neutral’ BHs. Fritz is at least pushed back to reacting, and while not hitting tamely himself, is soundly outhit and beat-back. As opposed to straining to stay close in round robin match

Neutral UEs - Both 9 (Fritz also with a rare defensive UE)
FH UEs - Sinner 9, Fritz 11 (including Fritz’ defensive UE)
BH UEs - Sinner 7, Frtiz 6

Looks an even contest. Fritz statistically winning the BH contest with his 5 baseline winners (+ 1 pass) to Sinner’s 2, though that’s’ deceptive

Almost all his winners are products of serve drawing weak return. Still, its good for him that he can finish with BH. Plenty of players who struggle to and runaround to hit FHs instead, which he’s probably not quick enough to - but his BH is is strong enough for him not to need to. He does move over to take FHs against Sinner’s stock BH cc sometimes in the other matches. Here, it wouldn’t be feasible against the full song rhythm Sinner gets into with easy, powerful BH cc’s

Fritz’ BH also has match high 8 FEs (just 3 are passes). Sinner’s able to overload it both with particularly powerful BH cc or FH dtl shots. Couple of winning returns in there too

Sinner prefers finishing with FH, where has leads winners 11-1, with 10/11 of them being baseline to baseline shots
Sinner leads errors forced in baseline rallies 8-4 (counting a Sinner running-down-drop shot error at net in this)

Like Fritz’ BHs, good lot of Sinner’s FH winners set up by big serve, but higher lot would be after taking command of 50-50 rally over course of few shots by pushing Fritz back. By contrast, almost all of Frtiz winners and errors forced flow out big serve

Unlike other matches, Fritz FH UEs don’t account for biggest chunk of points. That’d be product of more BH based action, Sinner using hitting advantage on that side to open up advantageous FH rallies after pinning Fritz back on BH side

Like other matches, net points are small (both with 7 approaches, Sinner wins 5, Fritz 6) and products of overpowering baseline play (often flowing out of big serve) and near token of nature, not much of a contest between volley and pass

Also like other matches, UEs are pressured out of both players and Sinner with movement, shot tolerance and ability to persist with pressuring power play advantage. Fritz is more prone to seemingly losing heart and stomach for the tough tussle here too

Match Progression
Server dominated opening set with just a couple of games that returner gets into. Sinner breaks in 14 point game, Fritz has a break point on the serve-out awhile later

Frtiz starts match with ace and third ball BH cc winner. Sinner responds with a BH dtl winner and loses game missing same shot

Sinner has 0-30 in game 5 before big serves see Fritz through

Breaks comes in game 7, a tough 14 point tussle. Fritz making 9/14 first serves, so nothing wanting on that front, but Sinner strikes with some clinically easy, but very effective returns

FH dtl return forces a BH error, that Fritz is a little slow to reach. He falls to 15-40 soon after
Saves first break point with a wrong footing, third ball BH inside-out winner. Apparently, he can play this rare shot. He had a similar play in round robin match. Ace takes of the second break point
The third break point is an exciting one where both players are close to net at different stages and both are strongly encouraged (if not forced) to back track to the baseline. Sinner eventually misses an attacking BH dtl with Frtiz having just reached safety of baseline
Sinner finally breaks with just-so shots. Error forcing BH dtl, error forcing BH inside-in return raise another break point, where he finishes pushed back Fritz with a drop shot winner

3 aces and 4 unreturned serves to consolidate to love; game is semi-tanked by Fritz and the aces not sure fire ones against a committed opponent. Fritz’ holds responds with a love game, 4 unreturned serves too (1 ace). The first 2 return errors he draws are from similar calibre serves that had gone for aces game before

As Sinner steps up to serve for set, he’s lost 1 service point in 4 holds

He loses 4 in the game, and has to save a break point, with Fritz stepping up
Overpowers Sinner to take first point, comes away with an unlikely, almost pick-up BH dtl pass winner awhile later, and raises break point with a BH dtl winner from routine position
Unreturned first serve takes care of break point, and Sinner wraps up set with his 10 ace couple points later

Second set is shorter but similar. Both players with 1 deuce game, Sinner breaking, Fritz not

At 30-15 in game 4, the returner Fritz has an easy FHV to open court set up by overpowering FH cc that he misses. Sinner goes on to hold, finishing with a particularly brutal series of BH cc’s even by very high standard of match

Fritz is broken from 30-0 up to fall behind 2-3
Double fault starts the process. Couple of winning dtl shots from Sinner (1 of each wing), and couple of FH UEs from Fritz. These kinds of point ending dtl shots in a settled rally showcase the difference between the players. Its not that Sinner lands such blows regularly, but he’s much more capable of doing so than Fritz

More of same next game. At 30-30, Sinner comes away with a bold BH dtl/inside-out winner, followed by another brute, point ending BH cc. Fritz doesn’t seem to have ability to dish out such a BH cc and Sinner would be more able to move to and defend against it if he did (Sinner’s stock ball also harder to treat so than Fritz’ is)

Fritz last 2 service games are love holds filled with winners. Sandwiched in between is a Sinner deuce hold which is oddly symmetrically

In game 7, Friz had stated with consecutive third ball BH cc winners. Pretty easy shots, set up by serve
Game after, Sinner strikes 2 similar FH cc winners in first 3 points. Fritz strikes a couple of winning FHs (inside-in and cc). Sinner with a couple of aces. And Sinner with a swinging, third ball FHV winner set up by another big serve

Next go around, Sinner serves out to 15, with bludgeoning FH play

Summing up, another good match with Sinner having better of it but not for the eye-stealing flurry of aces he dishes out; though having about half as many aces and taking something off first serves, Fritz actually wins higher lot of points via unreturned serves, and Sinner’s greater efforts on return and better movement for the shot to get racquet on ball doesn’t actually gain him any practical advantage

More importantly, Sinner is able to thump a few more neutralizing returns and Sinner has a damaging (power and placement) second serve that makes likelihood of Fritz responding in kind unlikely; Fritz doesn’t threaten to

Both players dismissing weak returns quickly and brutally
When rally gets underway, Sinner’s stock BH play controls action. Easy, but very strong hitting that pushes Fritz back to reacting and opens up other wing to Sinner’s advantage. Along with usual lot of Sinner being quicker, handling power better, more consistently keyed in, its enough to have decisive advantage

Fritz rarely able to squeeze out any counter-play with choice power hits from reactive position. He doesn’t fall back to outright defending though nor lash out wildly when being outhit; both would be understandable, though probably worse than what he does do. He lacks the speed and shot resistance to defend ably (especially against the formidable power that he’s up against) and it would take a very, very special shot-making display to breakout of Sinner’s power-hitting bubble

The Trilogy.