Jannik Sinner began his ATP Finals 2025 title defence with a dominant straight-sets win over an injury-hit Felix Auger-Aliassime in Turin, extending his indoor winning streak and sending an early statement of intent. (Image Credit: X/ @josemorgado)
Italy's Jannik Sinner began his title defense of the ATP Finals in emphatic fashion as he produced a commanding straight-sets victory over an injury-stricken Felix Auger-Aliassime in Turin on Monday. The world number two overcame a tight opening set before storming through the second to seal a 7-5, 6-1 victory in just over an hour and forty minutes.
After an opening exchange full of tension but with both players holding their serves with vigor, the consistency and depth of Sinner finally cracked Auger-Aliassime's resistance as the Italian broke at 6-5 to seal the first set, then took that momentum into the second. With Auger-Aliassime visibly hampered by a left calf injury, Sinner seized his chance in speedy fashion-racing to a 3-0 lead before sealing the match with an ace.
Sinner's control from the baseline and a perfect balance in serve returns proved to be enough for the Canadian, who couldn't find power or mobility on his injured leg.
In the format of the ATP Finals, winning that first group-stage match is often critical. But Sinner's win provides him with a solid advantage in the Bjorn Borg group, and confidence for Sinner seems to be peaking at the right time, with clashes against Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton on the horizon.
The 24-year-old won the prestigious year-end event last year without dropping a set, but he is on an even remarkable streak — this was his 27th consecutive victory on indoor hard courts, his most dominant surface. A repeat triumph could even propel him to finish the season as world number one, a position currently held by his Spanish rival Carlos Alcaraz.
“I had some chances to break earlier, but stayed patient,” Sinner said after the win. “Felix served very well even though he wasn’t 100 percent. Hopefully, he recovers soon; he’s a great competitor.”
For Auger-Aliassime, it was another disappointing outing after reaching the Paris Masters final just nine days earlier. The injury visibly limited his movement and also the ability to push through longer rallies. While the fighting spirit remained intact, the lack of intensity against a red-hot Sinner proved costly.
His recovery will be key if he hopes to remain competitive in the remaining round-robin matches.
In the day's other match, America's Taylor Fritz began his quest in the ATP Finals on a strong note, easing past Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, 6-3, 6-4, in the Jimmy Connors group. Musetti, a last-minute replacement for injured Novak Djokovic, struggled to match the intensity of Fritz.
Fritz, who lost to Sinner in last year’s final, showed he was ready for redemption as he served 84 percent on first serve and faced no breaks throughout the match. “I felt locked in and played aggressive from the start,” he said post-match.
