Carlos Alcaraz’s early loss to Ruud hinted at potential trouble, and his elimination was confirmed after a defeat to Zverev. The Spaniard’s journey at the ATP Finals in Turin ends, while the German advances to the semifinals with a perfect three wins in three matches, clinching the top spot in the John Newcombe Group, just like Jannik Sinner in his respective group.
Alcaraz fought hard against the world number two but ultimately had to concede. The first set was tightly contested, with Alcaraz saving two set points before Zverev prevailed in the tiebreak. In the second set, Alcaraz paid dearly for a break in the opening game, and despite his efforts, he couldn’t recover, losing 7-6, 6-4.
In the tournament's penultimate round, Zverev—born in Hamburg but of Russian descent (his father, Alexander Mikhailovich Zverev, a former tennis player, represented the USSR in Davis Cup)—will face Taylor Fritz. Fritz finished second in the Ilie Năstase Group, behind Sinner. This will mark their 12th official meeting, with Fritz leading 6-5 in head-to-head matches, having won their last three encounters, including at the Laver Cup, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
Jannik Sinner rewrites Italian tennis history: triumph at the ATP Finals
17 Nov - 22:58 •
2' min
In the other semifinal, Jannik Sinner awaits the winner of Ruud vs. Rublev. Sinner’s toughest opponent from now until the end of the tournament may be himself, as the Italian has shown remarkable mental strength despite not being at peak physical condition recently. A final showdown between the world’s number one and number two players appears increasingly likely. Zverev holds a 4-2 head-to-head advantage over Sinner, but the Italian claimed victory in their most recent clash at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 semifinal.
