The occupational hazards of tournament pool play typically lead to during this phase of the ATP Finals viewers are commonly confused, searching around for a computing device and trying to work out the brain-busting qualification scenarios. However today's game between Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, thankfully, is easy. It’s a straight shootout: the victor sets up a final four battle against Alcaraz at this year-end tournament; the unsuccessful competitor goes home.
Zverev is the predicted winner for this: the elite athlete is the player with greater achievements, has been the champion at this event twice before and leads their head-to-head six matches to three, having won both the games they've played on an enclosed hard court.
However … this particular court on which the Canadian has won the majority of his titles, he is full of confidence after his impressive recovery against Shelton on recently and he eliminated Zverev in the US Championships initial phase in late summer. Plus, the playing speed is higher in the host city than at the US Open venue, which works even more in AA’s favour.
If the German player is reserved, similar to his performance against Sinner, and Auger-Aliassime takes it to the German with his effective service game and bold strategy, it might very well be the young Canadian – the one-time phenom who was earlier slated before Alcaraz and Sinner to succeed the legendary trio – who earns the dubious honour of playing against the top-ranked player the next day.
Play begins: at approximately 8:30 PM in Turin, 7.30pm GMT.
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