Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime secured a spot in the ATP Finals semifinals for the first time in his career by defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-6 (4) on Friday. Auger-Aliassime, 25, reached a 2-1 record in round-robin matches, finishing second in the Bjorn Borg Group. He will now face world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the semifinals of the prestigious season-ending tournament.
Auger-Aliassime, seeded eighth in Turin, seized the only break of the match during the final game of the first set. Despite Zverev’s four break point opportunities, he couldn’t convert any and committed 18 of his 27 unforced errors in the second set, displaying visible signs of frustration towards his team.
In the tiebreaker, Zverev’s mistake on an easy return gave Auger-Aliassime two match points, with the Canadian needing only one as Zverev’s forehand landed long. Auger-Aliassime, now ranked No. 5 in the ATP Live Rankings, described the match as tense due to missed opportunities but emphasized his ability to maintain focus and secure victory.
The win improved Auger-Aliassime’s head-to-head record against Zverev to 4-6, with victories in both encounters this year, including at the U.S. Open. Meanwhile, Zverev, a two-time ATP Finals champion, fell to a 1-2 record and failed to progress from the group stage alongside American Ben Shelton (0-3).
In another match on Friday, defending champion and world No. 2 Jannik Sinner of Italy remained unbeaten, securing the top spot in the group and setting up a semifinal clash with Australia’s No. 7, Alex de Minaur. Auger-Aliassime holds a 3-4 record against Alcaraz, with the Spanish player winning their last four meetings.
Reflecting on the upcoming challenge against Alcaraz, Auger-Aliassime highlighted the significance of the tournament and expressed his readiness to face a formidable opponent. Alcaraz topped the Jimmy Connors group, ensuring he finishes the season as the No. 1 ATP Tour player.
Auger-Aliassime, making his second appearance at the ATP Finals, overcame early hurdles in the tournament after sustaining a leg injury in his opening match against Sinner. However, he bounced back strongly, defeating Shelton in a three-set battle to position himself for advancement.
