Sinner beats Fritz again in rematch of US Open final. Medvedev back in contention at ATP Finals

TURIN, Italy (AP) — The soccer-like “Ole” chants. The vast array of fans dressed in his theme color of orange. The banners and signs — one of which declared, “Sinner for president.”

Late in the second set of his victory over Taylor Fritz at the ATP Finals on Tuesday, Jannik Sinner used all the adulation in his home country to his advantage.

When the top-ranked player produced a backhand passing shot up the line while on the run, he held his finger up to his ear to encourage the crowd to cheer louder.

“I read a little bit where he was playing and I just tried to pass him somehow because if not, it would have been a very easy volley for him,” Sinner said. “The crowd is helping me a lot. This is a very special occasion for me.

“I’ve always liked playing at home. If you like the fans and the people supporting you, it’s a big help,” Sinner added.

Sinner made it two wins in two matches before his home fans at the finals, beating Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in a rematch of the U.S. Open final that the Italian also won in straight sets.

Sinner turned up his intensity when it mattered most. He survived a marathon service game midway through the first set then broke his American opponent with a huge forehand up the line on his first set point.

During and after the match, the crowd inside Inalpi arena chanted, “Ole, Ole, Ole; Sin-ner, Sin-ner.”

Sinner saved the only break point that he faced and nearly matched Fritz with six aces to the American’s seven.

But Fritz tested Sinner over two close sets and thought his performance was a step up from the U.S. Open final.

“There’s a lot of positives I can take out of it,” Fritz said. “For all of the match, I didn’t feel overwhelmed. I felt like I was right there.”

Sinner, who beat Alex de Minaur in his opening match at the season-ending event for the top eight players, improved to 23-1 in his last five tournaments.

Earlier, Daniil Medvedev moved back into contention with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over De Minaur following a temper tantrum in his previous match.

Medvedev didn’t face a single break point and was generally much sharper than in his straight-set loss to Fritz on Sunday — during which he smashed his racket and lost his cool twice.

Sinner leads the group while Fritz and Medvedev are next with one win each.

De Minaur, who is making his debut at finals, lost both of his opening matches.

The top two finishers from each round-robin group advance to the semifinals.

On Thursday, Medvedev faces Sinner and De Minaur plays Fritz in the final matches of the group.

In the other group on Monday, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud beat Andrey Rublev and Carlos Alcaraz, respectively.

Sinner is playing at home for the first time since it was announced before his U.S. Open title that he tested positive in two separate drug tests this year.

A decision to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September. A final ruling in the case is expected early next year.

When his match was over, Medvedev closed his eyes and held his fingers to his ears. Then he wrote on a camera lens, “Block the noise.”

“I went into this match also blocking the noise even from myself,” Medvedev said. “No like tantrums and stuff. Just block the noise. And I really didn’t care what was happening on the court. I just tried to play and it was a good feeling."

Medvedev won the finals in 2020 — the last edition held in London.

“The more popular you become, the more fans you get, the more haters you get, the more attention you get. And sometimes even the good noise can make you off balance,” Medvedev said.

“You know, you win everything and everyone thinks you’re a god. ... Then you lose two matches and everyone is like, ‘Finished, your career is finished.’ So sometimes it’s good just (to) block it,” Medvedev added.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

United States' Taylor Fritz returns the ball to Italy's Jannik Sinner during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns the ball to United States' Taylor Fritz during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

United States' Taylor Fritz reacts during the singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Italy's Jannik Sinner, at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns the ball to United States' Taylor Fritz during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates after winning the singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals against United States' Taylor Fritz, at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Jannik Sinner reacts during the singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals against United States' Taylor Fritz, at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns the ball to United States' Taylor Fritz during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Russia's Daniil Medvedev returns the ball to Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Russia's Daniil Medvedev Australia's Alex de Minaur returns the ball to Russia's Daniil Medvedev Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Australia's Alex de Minaur returns the ball to Russia's Daniil Medvedev during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Russia's Daniil Medvedev returns the ball to Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Australia's Alex de Minaur returns the ball to Russia's Daniil Medvedev during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Russia's Daniil Medvedev returns the ball to Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Russia's Daniil Medvedev Australia's Alex de Minaur returns the ball to Russia's Daniil Medvedev Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

President Joe Biden will welcome President-elect Donald Trump to the White House on Wednesday for an Oval Office visit that is a traditional part of the peaceful handoff of power — a ritual Trump himself declined to participate in four years ago.

Meanwhile, House control remains in the balance with a dozen races left to be called.

Follow the AP’s Election 2024 coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.

Here’s the latest:

Trump arrived a little behind schedule for the meeting with President Joe Biden.

It was scheduled for 11 a.m. ET.

As Trump was appearing on Capitol Hill, Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted educators at the White House to talk about the administration’s work to promote community colleges.

Jill Biden has taught English and writing at community colleges for many years.

At one point she noted that the semester is ending soon and her students are working on their final assignments. Then she said, “Joe and I are also preparing for what’s coming next.”

Biden then made the sign of the cross over himself and smiled. The audience laughed.

Musk, who’s been a fixture of late with Trump, arrived at the GOP conference in Washington just as Trump was coming in to address leaders.

On Tuesday night, Trump said Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy would run a panel focused on government efficiency that would be outside government but advise the White House. It’s not entirely clear how the operation will work.

“We won it every way, all seven swing states by a lot,” he said, speaking to GOP leaders in Washington.

Trump commented on the results in Democratic strongholds like New Jersey and California, declaring that winning in the latter state would be “very doable. It would be really doable if they change the election process.”

Trump is speaking to GOP leaders in Washington for the first time since he won the 2024 presidential election.

“It’s always nice to win,” Trump said.

Trump won 312 electoral votes to Democrat Kamala Harris’ 226.

Trump got a standing ovation from House GOP leaders gathered for a conference at a Washington hotel Wednesday morning.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said: “Ladies and gentlemen please stand for the 47th President of the United States.”

Rubio, when asked about it Wednesday, told reporters “those are media reports” and said any news would come from Trump’s transition team.

The Republican Florida senator is a former critic of Trump who’s become one of his fiercest defenders and appeared with him on the campaign trail in the final weeks.

As House Republicans are meeting, two members of Congress trying to come to agreement on border and immigration policy are being honored for their efforts.

Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi of New York and Republican Congressman Morgan Luttrell of Texas began their effort in July.

They were honored Wednesday in Washington by the National Immigration Forum, an organization that promotes the value of immigration in America.

The president-elect walked slowly down the airplane stairs at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, greeted his military greeter and got into the motorcade for the trip to Capitol Hill.

He did not speak with reporters who were there to document his arrival in Washington.

It’s meant to reassure investors in his publicly traded company, Tesla.

The billionaire, in a post on X on Wednesday, shared a message from a shareholder in his company noting that his appointment running a new “Department of Government Efficiency” for President-elect Donald Trump will provide advice and guidance to the new president from outside of government and is limited to 21 months, ending on July 4, 2026.

Musk shared the post with the message: “Important details”

“Her husband’s return to the Oval Office to commence the transition process is encouraging, and she wishes him great success,” Melania Trump’s office said.

No reason was given for why she didn’t accept the invitation.

The Bidens had extended congratulations and a joint invite to the Trumps to meet at the White House. The spouses typically meet upstairs in the residence while the president and president-elect meet in the Oval Office.

Donald Trump is making a victor’s return to Washington.

The president-elect’s plane landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Wednesday morning. President Joe Biden — both Trump’s successor and predecessor to the presidency — will welcome him to the White House for an Oval Office visit. It’s a traditional part of the peaceful handoff of power — a ritual Trump himself declined to participate in four years ago.

Trump also planned to meet with congressional Republicans as they focus on his Day 1 priorities and prepare for a potentially unified government with a GOP sweep of power in the nation’s capital. His visit, amid Republican congressional leadership elections, could put his imprint on the outcome.

▶ Read more about Trump and Biden’s meeting

The vice president is spending the morning in meetings at her official residence, according to a person with knowledge of her schedule.

If she does show up later — either at the White House or the adjacent Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where most of her staff works — it likely wouldn’t be until after Trump leaves.

— Chris Megerian

Tom Emmer of Minnesota says he’s expecting Trump to talk to House Republicans about how to “restart America’s economy by unleashing American energy,” sealing the southern border and removing immigrants who entered illegally under President Biden.

“I expect him to give a great message today, more like a locker room speech getting everybody ready for what’s coming in January,” Emmer said on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends.”

Billionaire Elon Musk will join Trump in Washington, according to a Trump aide.

The SpaceX owner, who Trump just named to a government efficiency advisory role in the new administration, is not currently expected to be at Trump’s meeting with Biden at the White House.

Musk will join Trump’s earlier meeting with House Republicans before he and Biden meet in the Oval Office. He’s been a steady presence at Trump’s side since the election.

It was Biden’s poor performance at that debate that led Democrats to start pressuring him to drop out and let another candidate take on Trump.

Biden pulled the plug on his campaign weeks later and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. She lost to Trump in last week’s election.

President-elect Donald Trump is on his way to Washington to meet with Republican congressional leaders on Capitol Hill and President Joe Biden at the White House.

Trump’s plane took off from the airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, around 7:30 a.m. ET for the roughly two-hour flight to the U.S. capital.

A meeting between the incoming and outgoing president is tradition but then-President Trump didn’t invite Biden to the White House after he lost to the Democrat in 2020.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says it was important to Biden to invite Trump because he believes in the “norms” and a peaceful transfer of power.

Republican senators will gather behind closed doors Wednesday to decide who will replace longtime Senate leader Mitch McConnell and lead their new majority next year — a decision that could shape the future of the Senate, and the party, as Donald Trump reclaims the presidency.

South Dakota Sen. John Thune, Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Florida Sen. Rick Scott have been scrambling to win the most votes in the secret ballot election, promising a new direction in the Senate even as they furiously compete for Trump’s favor. It will be the first test of Trump’s relationship with Congress after he won the election decisively and claimed a mandate for his agenda.

It’s uncertain who will win.

▶ Read more about the GOP’s decision

The U.S. Capitol is seen on a sunrise on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

The Latest: Trump returns to Washington to meet with Biden and GOP lawmakers

FILE - Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump smiles at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

The Latest: Trump returns to Washington to meet with Biden and GOP lawmakers