Sinner Begins ATP Finals Title Defense with Dominant Win Over Auger-Aliassime:

Italy’s Jannik Sinner began his ATP Finals title defense in emphatic style, defeating Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-5, 6-1 in their opening round-robin match at the Inalpi Arena in Turin on Monday. Backed by a passionate home crowd, the 24-year-old world No. 2 delivered a commanding performance to extend his incredible indoor hardcourt winning streak to 27 matches. His last defeat on the surface came nearly a year ago in the 2023 ATP Finals final against Novak Djokovic. Sinner is also in a fierce race with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz for the year-end world No. 1 ranking. The Italian must retain his title in Turin to have a chance, while Alcaraz can seal the top spot by winning two more matches after his opening victory. Confident Start in Front of Home Fans Sinner started the match with great intensity, holding serve to love and dominating the early exchanges. He dropped just three points on serve in the opening set, firing sharp forehands and backhands down the line to put constant pressure on Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian, despite struggling with a calf issue, stayed competitive behind his serve, firing eight aces to fend off four break points. But at 6-5, Sinner finally broke through to claim the first set. “It was a very tough match until 6-5,” Sinner said. “He played very aggressive tennis, so I’m happy to overcome a difficult test today. Winning the first match is always important in this format.” Total Control in the Second Set Sinner broke early in the second set to move 3-0 up as Auger-Aliassime called for a medical timeout due to his left calf. The Italian showed sportsmanship, wishing his opponent a quick recovery: “I hope it’s nothing serious. Hopefully he’s back to 100 percent soon.” Despite the interruption, Sinner never lost focus. He broke again to serve for the match and sealed victory with a booming ace, greeted by loud cheers from his home fans. The Italian also delighted the crowd with some clever drop shots and confident play as he cruised to victory. Group Standings and What’s Next In the other Bjorn Borg Group match, Germany’s Alexander Zverev beat American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(6). Each player in the group faces the others once, with the top two advancing to the semifinals. On Tuesday, the spotlight shifts to the Jimmy Connors Group, where Carlos Alcaraz meets Taylor Fritz, and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti faces Alex de Minaur. With confidence high and the crowd behind him, Jannik Sinner’s mission to defend his ATP Finals crown — and possibly finish 2025 as world No. 1 — is off to a perfect start.

SPORT