Did Sinner Overcome Auger-Aliassime in ATP Finals Opener?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Turin, Nov 11 (NationPress) Jannik Sinner, the home favorite, launched his ATP Finals title defense with an impressive 7-5, 6-1 win over the injured Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. In a match lasting one hour and 41 minutes, Sinner recorded his first win in the Bjorn Borg Group, extending his indoor winning streak to 27 matches and maintaining his flawless record at the ATP Finals since his defeat to Novak Djokovic in the 2023 final.
By triumphing at Inalpi Arena, Sinner kept his hopes alive of overtaking Carlos Alcaraz for the ATP Year-End No. 1 ranking. Currently, he trails Alcaraz by 1,050 points, with Alcaraz having started his ATP Finals journey with a victory over Alex de Minaur earlier.
The match commenced with a tightly contested first set. Auger-Aliassime showcased resilience, saving two break points at 3-2 and a set point at 5-4, but ultimately succumbed to Sinner’s exceptional play, suffering a crucial break in the 12th game, during which he appeared to experience discomfort in his left leg.
Following the first set, Auger-Aliassime took a medical timeout. Despite his effort, he struggled to recover, dropping serve early in the second set and receiving treatment on his leg when the score stood at 0-3.
Sinner maintained his precision throughout the match, winning 89 percent of points on his first serve, according to ATP Stats.
“I hope it’s nothing too serious. I wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back at 100 percent,” Sinner commented regarding Auger-Aliassime.