🔗 Share this article

Introduction

The typical complications of round-robin tennis typically lead to by this stage of the ATP World Tour Finals we’re often left scratching our heads, hastily looking for a calculator and trying to work out the complex qualification scenarios. However today's game between Alexander Zverev and Auger-Aliassime, mercifully, is simple. This is a winner-takes-all affair: the victor secures a semi-final contest against Alcaraz at this year-end tournament; the defeated player heads out.

Zverev is the predicted winner for this: the world No 3 is the more experienced competitor, has claimed the title at this competition previously on two instances and is ahead in their direct encounters with six victories against three defeats, winning both their previous matches on an covered hard surface.

But … this is the surface on which Felix has secured the majority of his titles, he is full of confidence after his remarkable turnaround against Shelton on Wednesday and he defeated the German in the US Championships early stage in August. Additionally, the court pace is quicker in the host city than at the US Open venue, which provides an additional advantage in Auger-Aliassime's favor.

If Zverev holds back, like he was against Sinner, and the Canadian presses the European player with his stinging serves and fearless play, it might very well be the North American athlete – the earlier standout who was once in line before the Spanish and Italian stars to replace the legendary trio – who earns the questionable privilege of playing against the global leader the next day.

The match starts: at about 8.30pm local time, 7:30 PM in the UK.