Post by : Maya Rahman

Italian ace Jannik Sinner secured his spot in the ATP Finals semifinals held in Turin after defeating Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday. The defending champion showcased remarkable indoor performance, extending his indoor hard court winning streak to 28 matches. With this victory, Sinner has kept his aspirations alive for finishing the year at world number one.

The match was anticipated to be a competitive clash, as both athletes had won their initial matches in the Bjorn Borg group. Sinner, currently ranked second in the world, faced Zverev, a two-time ATP Finals champion, who offered stiff resistance. The Italian had to navigate early challenges, particularly with multiple break points against him.

Sinner began the first set under pressure, facing two break points in his opening game but managed to hold serve with four aces. This game lasted almost nine minutes, highlighting how closely fought the match was. While Zverev displayed skill from the baseline, Sinner maintained composure, leveraging his powerful serve and agility to gain the upper hand.

Leading 5-4 in the first set, Sinner seized two break points and capitalized, executing an astute play at the net that caught Zverev off guard, ultimately winning the set 6-4 to the delight of the local crowd.

In the second set, Sinner started slow yet did not allow Zverev to take a lead. Coming back from 0-40 in his first service game, he held serve. Later, he broke Zverev at 3-2 to take a 4-2 lead. Although Zverev attempted to counter and created break points in the following game, Sinner held strong.

A highlight moment came when Sinner struck a blistering backhand down the line, leaving Zverev momentarily stunned. This moment boosted Sinner’s confidence, and after one hour and 43 minutes, he closed the match out with a solid 6-3 in the second set.

With this being Sinner’s third triumph over Zverev in just 17 days, he solidified his place in the semi-finals, leaving Zverev still with a shot to qualify based on other match outcomes.

In his pursuit to end the year as world number one, Sinner must win the ATP Finals while remaining undefeated. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz from Spain, with two wins already, is one victory away from securing his top spot. Alcaraz is set to compete against Lorenzo Musetti, while Taylor Fritz faces Alex de Minaur in other matches.

On the same day, Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime notched his first victory of the tournament, overcoming American player Ben Shelton, rallying back from a set down to win 4-6, 7-6, 7-5. This result knocked Shelton out of the tournament after his earlier loss to Zverev.

Shelton started strong, powering through to take the first set. However, Auger-Aliassime displayed exceptional patience in the second set, forcing a tiebreak and ultimately taking it to level the match despite Shelton's knee injury during play. After holding serve through the final set to 6-5, unforced errors from Shelton provided Auger-Aliassime with match point opportunities. The Canadian clinched the match on his third attempt, showcasing a decisive finish.

This victory propels Sinner confidently towards the semi-finals, keeping his remarkable home run alive. The Italian fans are left eagerly anticipating whether their champion can replicate last year’s success and perhaps finish 2025 as the world’s leading player.

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