Auger-Aliassime Advances to Face Alcaraz After Epic Win Over Zverev

TURIN, Italy — Felix Auger-Aliassime secured his spot in the semifinals of the ATP Finals with a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over Alexander Zverev on Friday. The match determined which player would advance from the Bjorn Borg group, making it a high-stakes showdown.

The match started tightly contested, with both players demonstrating their power serves. Auger-Aliassime, seeded eighth, took the first set after capitalizing on one of his four break points. Although he faced some nerves, his aggressive style allowed him to edge Zverev, a two-time champion.

In the second set, Zverev struggled with unforced errors, racking up 18 in total compared to Auger-Aliassime’s steadier play. Zverev had four break point opportunities but failed to convert any, and this ultimately cost him the match. “I (thought) I played very well, but I made too many errors when it counted,” Zverev said.

Auger-Aliassime’s triumph marks his first semifinal appearance in this prestigious event. “It feels amazing,” he said. “I always believed that I could be in these moments, and today was just incredible.” The Canadian also noted that intense matches like this prepare players for the larger challenges ahead.

Now Auger-Aliassime will face world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals, who swept through his matches in the group stage without losing a set. “I have to go through a great player to do that,” Auger-Aliassime remarked about his upcoming match. Although he is aware of the impending challenge, he enters the semifinals on a wave of momentum.

Earlier on Friday, defending champion Jannik Sinner also advanced, completing his round-robin matches with another straight-set victory against Ben Shelton, 6-3, 7-6(3). Sinner remains undefeated so far in the tournament, which adds pressure as he approaches his next match against Alex de Minaur.