For all the tactical cut and thrust of a tennis match that was also a chess match, it was not a strategic masterstroke or inspired switch of approach that propelled Jannik Sinner to the biggest final of his career at the ATP Finals in Turin.
Instead, an absorbing battle of wits with Daniil Medvedev turned on a pair of fleeting lapses by the Russian world No 3, who double-faulted just twice in two and a half hours but paid a high price on both occasions as Sinner, to the delight of a frenzied home crowd, claimed a 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1 victory.
In a week when the 22-year-old Italian has produced some of the finest tennis of his life, those two moments were all the opportunity Sinner required to turn the screw.
The first, which came when Medvedev double-faulted on game point and then gifted his opponent an early lead with a pair of forehand errors, determined the outcome of the opening set.
The second, which arrived early in the third set, following a brilliant fightback by the former champion, not only handed Sinner a lead he would not relinquish, but also precipitated a meltdown from Medvedev, who dispatched his racket into the digital advertising hoarding before taking issue with a spectator. There would be no way back for the 27-year-old, Sinner pressing home the advantage with some of his boldest tennis of the week.
If the devil was in the detail, however, it was nonetheless a match that Sinner won, rather than one Medvedev lost. Imperious on serve, irrepressible from the baseline and deadly at the net, where he won 17 of 20 points, Sinner once again performed with a conviction and quality that suggests he is ready to compete for the biggest prizes in the sport. The first Italian to reach the title round at the season finale and the man of the moment in his home country and beyond, Sinner has now won not only his past 10 matches, but also his most recent meetings with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, one of whom he will face in Sunday’s final.
“It feels great,” said Sinner, who was roared on by the impassioned locals, just as he has been all week. “The atmosphere has been awesome again. Sharing this moment with Italian fans means a lot to me. We’re playing here in Italy. Obviously, [it] means a lot for me and also my team.”
“It was a really tough match. I was struggling in the beginning. He was pushing a lot, he was much more aggressive. I think every set had his own story at some point.”
In the early stages of the opening set, the narrative was largely tactical. A notable feature of Sinner’s landmark first win against Djokovic in midweek was his ability to discomfit the Serb in the frequent backhand-to-backhand exchanges. Clearly determined not to be snared in the same trap, Medvedev sought to alter the angle of attack by taking his forehand down the line wherever possible. Though undermined by a break in the fourth game, the strategy reaped dividends: six of Sinner’s 13 unforced errors came in the opening set, and it was a testament to the Italian’s tactical intelligence that he emerged on top.
Sinner’s astute approach was showcased in the seventh game, which he opened with the fourth of 10 aces, a 129mph delivery down the middle. In a contest where the vast majority of his serves to the deuce court were directed wide, it was an adroit change of direction, one Medvedev was evidently not expecting. Sinner followed up by outmanoeuvring Medvedev behind his second serve – a vastly improved area of his game – before reverting to a viciously sliced wide delivery to force a return error. He eventually closed out the game by drawing Medvedev forward with a drop shot and then flicking a topspin lob over his stranded rival.
“I felt that he was better than me in the first set, in terms of having a little bit more rhythm,” said Medvedev. “I was playing not bad. I had a break point. But I felt him just this tiny bit better than me.”
That changed in the second set where Medvedev, responding to a sharp uptick from Sinner in the longer rallies, began to play with increasing aggression off the ground. With the Italian breathing heavily for the first time, Medvedev stormed through the climactic tiebreak, making every first serve before converting the second of three set points courtesy of a shanked forehand from Sinner.
Tactical nuances faded into insignificance after Medvedev dropped serve in the second game of the decider, however, the Russian’s game unravelling rapidly after he received a code violation for hurling his racket in frustration before directing a few choice words at someone in the crowd.
“I lost my head a little bit,” acknowledged Medvedev. “Double-fault on the break point. For sure they cheer a little bit the double-fault, but that is normal. He got the break, so I lost it. That was kind of the only game where I lost my head.”
Sinner now stands within one more win of what would be a historic victory.
“If I play against Carlos or if I play against Novak, they’re going to change a couple of things,” said Sinner. “I have to be aware. I have to be very careful and intelligent to understand what’s going on, on the court. Let’s see what’s coming, no?”
Italy awaits with bated breath.