De Minaur Claims Maiden ATP Finals Victory in Turin
On the swift indoor courts of Turin's Pala Alpitour, Alex de Minaur outmaneuvers Taylor Fritz in a tense straight-sets battle, unlocking his first win at the elite event and keeping semifinal dreams alive amid high-stakes rankings drama.
In the resonant Pala Alpitour arena in Turin, Italy, on a crisp November evening, Alex de Minaur arrived with the weight of five prior defeats at the ATP Finals pressing on his shoulders. The Australian, seeded seventh, faced Taylor Fritz in a matchup that demanded precision on the fast indoor hard courts, where every point carried the freight of semifinal survival. With only a straight-sets victory keeping his tournament hopes intact, De Minaur channeled his renowned speed into a tactical masterclass, emerging with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 triumph that marked his breakthrough after six matches across two appearances.
Probing edges on indoor hard
De Minaur targeted Fritz's backhand early, firing crosscourt forehands to pull the American wide before redirecting inside-out winners that exploited the surface's pace. The sixth-seeded Fritz, last year's finalist, unleashed 12 aces but faltered in extended rallies, his flat groundstrokes skidding low yet vulnerable to De Minaur's quicksilver footwork and one–two combinations of topspin drives followed by underspin slices. This approach turned defense into disruption, forcing the taller player to cover extra ground and leak unforced errors, as the crowd's murmurs built with each probing exchange.
The first set unfolded in a baseline grind, De Minaur's returns neutralizing Fritz's booming serve and setting up opportunities for down-the-line backhands that clipped the lines. Fritz held firm through deuce points, but the Australian's consistency wore down his opponent's rhythm, the arena's cool air amplifying the thud of balls against the hard deck.
I finally won here in Torino.
Tiebreak dominance sparks surge
The set's tiebreak proved decisive, with De Minaur seizing control at 3-3 by dominating returns on second serves, rifling a crosscourt winner that forced Fritz into a wide error and ballooned the score to 6-3. Momentum spilled into the second set, where he broke early with a sliced backhand approach that drew the American forward, his volleys misfiring under net pressure. Midway through, De Minaur earned match point on Fritz's serve, the ball zipping crosscourt only to prompt a long reply, though the American held with a gritty inside-in forehand to extend the drama.
Undeterred, De Minaur held his nerve on his own delivery, mixing deep kick serves with body jabs in short, sharp points that preserved energy and closed the match decisively. This win eliminated Fritz from contention, ending a strong campaign for the American, while highlighting De Minaur's evolution in handling power baselines with evasion and variation.
Whatever happens, happens. But I won't be paying too much attention to the tennis. I'll be relaxing and having a nice night here in Torino.
Semifinal path ties to late clash
De Minaur's straight-sets result positions him for a semifinal spot if Carlos Alcaraz defeats Lorenzo Musetti in the evening match, an outcome that would also crown the Spaniard year-end world No. 1. Musetti holds his own route by upsetting Alcaraz, adding layers of intrigue to the group standings as the tournament's unforgiving schedule presses on. Post-match, the Australian's pragmatism shone through, his relief palpable amid the fading echoes of the arena, eyes now on recovery and the unfolding possibilities of a deeper run in Turin.
