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Preamble

The typical complications of round-robin tennis mean at this point of the ATP World Tour Finals we’re often left confused, hastily looking for a computing device and striving to determine the complex qualification scenarios. But today's game between Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, fortunately, is simple. It’s a straight shootout: the successful player secures a semi-final contest against Alcaraz at this season-ending event; the loser goes home.

Zverev is the predicted winner for this: the world No 3 is the more experienced competitor, has been the champion at this event twice before and holds the advantage in their personal record with six victories against three defeats, securing victories in both their previous matches on an enclosed hard court.

Yet … this type of playing field on which Auger-Aliassime has claimed most of his championships, he is full of confidence after his remarkable turnaround against Ben Shelton on midweek and he eliminated the German in the US Championships third round in August. Additionally, conditions are faster in Turin than at Flushing Meadows, which works even more in AA’s favour.

If the German player is reserved, similar to his performance against Sinner, and the Canadian presses the European player with his effective service game and bold strategy, it could well be the young Canadian – the earlier standout who was once in line in front of the Spanish and Italian stars to succeed the tennis icons – who obtains the uncertain distinction of playing against the global leader on Saturday.

The match starts: at about 8.30pm local time, 7:30 PM in the UK.