FELIX Auger-Aliassime defeated two-time champion Alexander Zverev on Friday (Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, PH time) to clinch the last berth in the ATP Finals semifinals — setting up a showdown with newly crowned year-end No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Fresh off sweeping his group matches, Alcaraz awaits the eighth-seeded Canadian, who ousted Zverev 6-4, 7-6 (4) to advance alongside Jannik Sinner from the Bjorn
Borg group.
“This is a high-value tournament for players,” Auger-Aliassime said. “It’s like a grand finale, and when you look at the list of champions, there have been many No. 1s. You want to be in the final, but I’ll have to go through a great player to do that. I’ll take my chance if I have it.”
Earlier, defending champion Sinner completed his own sweep of group play with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over already-eliminated Ben Shelton. The Italian has yet to drop a set — or a service game — this week. He will face seventh-seeded Alex de Minaur in Saturday’s (Sunday in PH) semifinals.
Zverev and Auger-Aliassime entered their match knowing the winner would reach the last four.
Auger-Aliassime handled the pressure more cleanly, converting his fourth set point in the opener and staying steady in the tiebreak as Zverev’s frustration mounted. The German committed 18 of his 27 unforced errors in the second set and failed to convert any of his four break points.
A routine return into the net handed Auger-Aliassime two match points, and Zverev sent a forehand long on the first to end it.
The victory sends Auger-Aliassime into the semifinals of the season-ending championship for the first time.
“It feels amazing,” he said. “I always believed I could be in these moments and win matches like these, but you still have to come and do it. Today was emotional for both of us, and I played well when I needed to. I’m blessed and very happy to be in the semifinals.” / FROM THE WIRES