Alexander Zverev Faces Auger-Aliassime in ATP Finals Clash
Overview
The occupational hazards of group stage tennis mean at this point of the season-ending championships viewers are commonly scratching our heads, searching around for a calculator and trying to work out the complex permutations of qualification. However today's game between Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, fortunately, is straightforward. This is a winner-takes-all affair: the successful player earns a semifinal contest against Alcaraz at this year-end tournament; the loser heads out.
Zverev is the favourite for this: the third-ranked player is the player with greater achievements, has claimed the title at this tournament on two prior occasions and is ahead in their direct encounters 6-3, having won both their previous matches on an covered hard surface.
Yet … this type of playing field on which Felix has secured the bulk of his trophies, he’s riding a high after his impressive recovery against Ben Shelton on Wednesday and he defeated the German in the US Open early stage in late summer. Plus, conditions are faster in Turin than at the US Open venue, which works even more in Auger-Aliassime's favour.
If Zverev holds back, similar to his performance against Sinner, and the Canadian presses the European player with his effective service game and fearless play, it might very well be the young Canadian – the one-time phenom who was earlier slated in front of the younger champions to replace the tennis icons – who secures the dubious honour of playing against the world No 1 on Saturday.
The match starts: at around 20:30 in the host city, 7.30pm GMT.
