Jannik Sinner commenced his title defense at the 2025 ATP Finals in Turin with a convincing 7-5, 6-1 victory over Félix Auger-Aliassime. The Italian, playing in front of a roaring home crowd, showcased his dominance on indoor hard courts, extending his winning streak to 27 matches.
The match began competitively, with Auger-Aliassime initially matching Sinner's intensity. The Canadian saved multiple break points in the first set, displaying resilience with eight aces. However, Sinner's relentless pressure eventually paid off as he secured a crucial break to clinch the first set 7-5.
The momentum shifted decisively in Sinner's favor when Auger-Aliassime appeared to suffer a left calf injury towards the end of the first set. The Canadian's movement was visibly hampered, and he called for a medical timeout early in the second set. Despite receiving treatment, Auger-Aliassime struggled to regain his form, and Sinner capitalized ruthlessly.
Sinner broke Auger-Aliassime's serve twice in the second set, racing to a 3-0 lead. The Italian's superior court coverage and clean ball-striking were too much for the injured Canadian to handle. Sinner sealed the victory with an ace, completing a dominant second set 6-1.
"It was very tough until 6-5 and then he had a physical issue,” said Sinner. Sinner also extended his impressive record at the ATP Finals, where he hasn't lost a match since the 2023 final against Novak Djokovic. Last year, Sinner won the title in Turin without dropping a set.
Sinner's ambitions extend beyond defending his title. He is also in contention for the year-end No. 1 ranking. To achieve this, Sinner needs to win the ATP Finals and hope that Carlos Alcaraz does not reach the final. Alcaraz beat Alex de Minaur in his opening match. Should Alcaraz win each of his three round-robin events, he will cement his year-end No. 1 ranking. Should Alcaraz lose one of the group stage matches, he will need to simply reach the final (meaning winning his semifinal match) to stay atop the ATP rankings.
In the other Bjorn Borg group match, Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton. Sinner will face Zverev in his next round-robin match. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the semi-finals.
The victory marks Sinner's fourth win in four meetings against Auger-Aliassime this year. It remains to be seen how Auger-Aliassime's injury will affect his participation in the remainder of the tournament.
