Alexander Zverev Battles Auger-Aliassime in Season-Ending Championships Match
Introduction
The inherent challenges of group stage tennis mean at this point of the ATP World Tour Finals fans frequently find themselves puzzled, searching around for a computing device and trying to work out the complex qualification scenarios. But this evening's contest between Zverev and Auger-Aliassime, fortunately, is straightforward. It's a direct elimination: the winner sets up a final four battle against Alcaraz at this championship finale; the defeated player goes home.
Zverev is the predicted winner for this: the elite athlete is the more experienced competitor, has been the champion at this tournament on two prior occasions and is ahead in their direct encounters 6-3, winning both their past encounters on an enclosed hard court.
But … this is the surface on which Auger-Aliassime has claimed the bulk of his trophies, he is full of confidence after his impressive recovery against Shelton on midweek and he took out the German in the US Open third round in late summer. Furthermore, the court pace is quicker in Turin than at Flushing Meadows, which provides an additional advantage in Auger-Aliassime's favor.
If the German player is reserved, as he did against the Italian, and Auger-Aliassime takes it to the German with his powerful serves and bold strategy, there is a strong chance the North American athlete – the earlier standout who was once in line before the younger champions to take over from the tennis icons – who obtains the dubious honour of playing against the global leader the next day.
The match starts: at about 8.30pm local time, 7:30 PM in the UK.
