Jannik Sinner commenced his title defense at the ATP Finals impressively in front of his hometown supporters with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Félix Auger-Aliassime from Montreal in Turin, Italy. To secure the year-end No. 1 ranking, Sinner must win the prestigious season-ending tournament for the top eight players and hope that Carlos Alcaraz does not advance to the final.
Auger-Aliassime, ranked No. 8, seemed hampered by a left calf injury that surfaced towards the end of the first set. He received treatment twice from a trainer during the second set. Sinner acknowledged the challenge of the match, especially after Auger-Aliassime’s physical issue at 6-5 in the first set.
Having triumphed in Turin last year without losing a set, Sinner has remained unbeaten at the event since the 2023 final against Novak Djokovic. Fans showed their support with banners declaring Sinner as “Italian pride,” and he was cheered on with chants resembling those heard at soccer matches during his post-match interview on the court.
Sinner has emerged victorious in all four encounters with Auger-Aliassime this year, which includes their clash at the U.S. Open semifinal and the recent Paris Masters final. In the Bjorn Borg group, Sinner and Alexander Zverev lead with one win each, following Zverev’s triumph over Ben Shelton.
The top two players from each group will progress to the semifinals. Sinner’s dominance was evident as he won 89% of points on his first serve, securing 32 out of 36 points. Acknowledging the strong competition, Sinner emphasized the need for unwavering focus throughout the match due to the formidable serving abilities of his opponents.
In an earlier match, Taylor Fritz defeated late entrant Lorenzo Musetti with a score of 6-3, 6-4. Fritz, having reached the final last year and the semifinals in his debut in 2022, has experience in the tournament. Unlike Musetti, who was making his first appearance, Fritz had been training on indoor courts in preparation for the event.
Overall, the ATP Finals in Turin have kicked off with intense matches and impressive performances from the top players in the competition.