Jannik Sinner Advances at ATP Finals
TURIN, Italy — Jannik Sinner continued his impressive run at the ATP Finals, defeating Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 to secure a place in the semifinals. Playing in front of a home crowd on Wednesday, the reigning champion showcased his dominance on indoor hard courts, marking his 28th consecutive victory in this setting, dating back to his loss against Novak Djokovic in the final two years ago.
Dominance Over Zverev
This latest win against Zverev marks Sinner’s fifth consecutive triumph over the German player, including encounters at the Australian Open this year and previous events in Vienna and Paris. Currently ranked second in the world, Sinner still harbors aspirations to end the year at the No. 1 spot, although this will require him to clinch the tournament title while hoping that Carlos Alcaraz does not advance further.
Group Standings
In the Bjorn Borg group, Sinner leads with two wins, while Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime each have one victory. Ben Shelton is the only player in the group without a win.
Carlos Alcaraz, competing in the Jimmy Connors group, has also enjoyed success with two victories thus far. The top two players from each group will proceed to the semifinals.
Flawless Performance
Since his last defeat to Djokovic, Sinner has been flawless at this tournament, not dropping a single set. When faced with pressure against Zverev, he elevated his game, saving all seven break points he encountered. Notable moments included saving two break points in the match’s opening game with aces and overcoming a 0-40 deficit early in the second set.
“I served very well on the important points,” Sinner remarked after the match, adding that there weren’t many extended rallies.
Auger-Aliassime’s First Victory
In the other match of the day, Felix Auger-Aliassime secured his first victory at the Finals, edging past Ben Shelton with a score of 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5. Initially struggling, Auger-Aliassime admitted,
“He was playing much better than me at the start. It’s not often that I get broken twice in the first set indoors.”
Despite a shaky start that saw Shelton break him and later react in frustration, Auger-Aliassime rallied to claim the match. The Canadian noted how he found his footing as the match progressed, ultimately breaking Shelton in the decisive game of the final set to win on his third match point after encountering multiple challenges.
