Sinner Dominates ATP Finals Group Stage; Auger-Aliassime Advances to Semifinals
Jannik Sinner continued his quest to defend his ATP Finals title with an impressive performance against Ben Shelton on Friday, winning 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) and completing a perfect group stage. Meanwhile, Felix Auger-Aliassime secured the final spot in the semifinals by defeating Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
The Italian star, who took just one hour and 35 minutes to dispatch Shelton, advanced to the semifinals with a flawless record in the Bjorn Borg Group. His victory sent chants of “Sinner, Sinner” echoing throughout the Inapli Arena, where fans celebrated their hero’s success even as he acknowledged losing the year-end world No. 1 ranking to Carlos Alcaraz.
“I never underestimate my opponents… I have a lot to lose, and he doesn’t, so I need to be careful,” Sinner said in a post-match interview, looking ahead to his upcoming semifinal clash with Alex de Minaur. Historically, Sinner has dominated de Minaur, winning all 12 of their previous encounters—only dropping two sets in the process.
The defending champion has yet to lose a set at this year’s finals, showcasing tremendous form even without reaching his peak performance. He opened Friday’s match by breaking Shelton’s serve early, maintaining relentless pressure that left the world No. 5 with no avenue for victory while regularly clocking second serves at an impressive 190 km/h (118 mph).
Reflecting on his tournament experience, Shelton acknowledged the difficulty of finishing his debut finals campaign without a win. “This will just make me work harder in the off-season, but yeah, it stings, for sure,” he admitted.
As Sinner eyes a potential rematch with Alcaraz—who has won four out of five encounters in 2025, including two Grand Slam finals—the stakes remain high. Before Friday’s matches, Alcaraz was presented with the award for securing the top spot in the men’s rankings, after taking down Lorenzo Musetti.
Sinner expressed respect for Alcaraz’s accomplishments this season, admitting, “I’d be lying if I said that I was super happy about it, but he deserves it because he’s had an incredible season.”
In a less thrilling match-up, Auger-Aliassime set the stage for a semifinal showdown with Alcaraz after edging past Zverev, who ended his year with only one title to his name. All signs point toward an exciting finale between Sinner and Alcaraz as the ATP Finals approach its climax, with tennis fans eagerly awaiting what could be a thrilling conclusion to the season.
