Zverev Faces Auger-Aliassime in Season-Ending Championships Match
Preamble
The occupational hazards of round-robin tennis mean by this stage of the ATP World Tour Finals we’re often left puzzled, searching around for a calculator and trying to work out the brain-busting potential outcomes for advancement. But today's game between Zverev and Auger-Aliassime, mercifully, is straightforward. It's a direct elimination: the successful player earns a final four contest against Alcaraz at this championship finale; the defeated player is eliminated.
Zverev is the predicted winner for this: the third-ranked player is the more accomplished player, has been the champion at this tournament on two prior occasions and leads their head-to-head with six victories against three defeats, having won both the games they've played on an enclosed hard court.
However … this particular court on which Auger-Aliassime has claimed most of his championships, he is in great form after his impressive recovery against Shelton on Wednesday and he eliminated the German in the US Championships third round in late summer. Furthermore, conditions are faster in the host city than at Flushing Meadows, which provides an additional advantage in the Canadian's favor.
If Zverev holds back, as he did against the Italian, and Auger-Aliassime takes it to the German with his stinging serves and bold strategy, there is a strong chance the North American athlete – the former prodigy who was previously positioned in front of the Spanish and Italian stars to replace the legendary trio – who earns the questionable privilege of facing the world No 1 the next day.
Play begins: at approximately 8:30 PM in Turin, 7:30 PM in the UK.
