Zverev Faces Auger-Aliassime in Season-Ending Championships Match
Introduction
The occupational hazards of group stage tennis mean during this phase of the ATP World Tour Finals viewers are commonly confused, scrambling about for a calculator and attempting to calculate the brain-busting potential outcomes for advancement. However today's game between Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, mercifully, is simple. This is a winner-takes-all affair: the victor earns a final four contest against Alcaraz at this year-end tournament; the loser is eliminated.
Zverev is the favourite for this: the third-ranked player is the more experienced competitor, has claimed the title at this tournament previously on two instances and holds the advantage in their personal record 6-3, having won both their past encounters on an enclosed hard court.
But … this is the surface on which Auger-Aliassime has claimed the majority of his titles, he’s riding a high after his remarkable turnaround against Ben Shelton on recently and he took out Zverev in the US Open third round in late summer. Furthermore, the court pace is quicker in the host city than at Flushing Meadows, which provides an additional advantage in AA’s favour.
If Zverev holds back, as he did against Sinner, and Felix aggressively challenges the German with his effective service game and fearless play, it could well be the North American athlete – the earlier standout who was once in line in front of the younger champions to replace the Big Three – who obtains the questionable privilege of competing with the world No 1 tomorrow.
Play begins: at around 20:30 in the host city, 7.30pm GMT.
