Taylor Fritz reacts to his failure to challenge Jannik Sinner despite duo raking up highest combined performance rating in 2024 at ATP Finals
Jannik Sinner defeated Taylor Fritz in the final of the 2024 ATP Finals in Turin on Sunday, November 17. The Italian outclassed his opponent 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 25 minutes on home soil.
Despite the straightforward scoreline, Fritz's Performance Rating, which indicates the quality of a player's performance, was very close to Sinner's. The American's return quality was 8.9 as against Sinner's 8.5. Fritz was also rated better in attack and steal score, with 28% and 32%, respectively, than Sinner who had a 24% attack and a 30% steal score rating.
However, Sinner trumped Fritz when it came to serve, forehand, and backhand quality, boosting his overall performance rating to 9.51 as against his opponent's 9.00.
Fritz took to X (formerly Twitter) to react to a post shared by Tennis Insights that detailed the statistics from both players' performances.
He used a smiling-face-with-teardrop emoji to express his feelings.
2024 has proven to be a very successful season for Taylor Fritz. He reached his maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open where he lost to the eventual champion Jannik Sinner. He is also the first American to reach the ATP Finals title decider since James Blake did so in 2006.
Thanks to his consistent performances, Fritz will end the year as World No. 4 in the ATP rankings.
Taylor Fritz reaches career-high ranking of World No. 4
Taylor Fritz is about to end a successful 2024 season with the Delray Beach Open and the Eastbourne International titles to his name.
The 27-year-old began his year as the World No. 10. He broke into the Top 5 in March during Indian Wells and then fluctuated between the 6th and 15th spot. However, with a strong runner-up finish at the ATP Finals where he defeated the likes of Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev, Fritz will end his season with a career-high ranking of World No. 4.
Speaking after the final in Turin, Fritz was upbeat as he reflected on his season in light of his rankings. He said,
“It's been a really good week for me. Obviously, it's a good way to end the year. It gives me a lot of confidence finishing the season like this.
“Something I told my team in 2023, when I hit World No. 5 for a week right before I was defending the Indian Wells title, was 'That's crazy, I'm five the world, look at all these guys ranked behind me that are probably better than me.’"
He also spoke of the confidence that his performances have given him.
"Back then I was five, but I didn't feel like I was [World no.] five. Now I'm ranked where I'm at. I feel like I belong. It's a different feeling. It's been a great year. That gives me a lot of confidence to have that belief. That's a huge part of having the big results. The goals I set for myself at the start of the year was to finish Top 5.”
Taylor Fritz will next be seen on-court as part of Team USA in the Davis Cup Finals.