Defending champion Jannik Sinner opened his ATP Finals campaign with a commanding 7-5, 6-1 win over Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime on Monday, extending his indoor dominance and taking early control of the Björn Borg Group in Turin.
Just nine days after defeating the same opponent in the Paris Masters final, the world No. 2 once again proved too strong.
After a tight first set, Sinner broke Auger-Aliassime’s serve at 6-5 and stormed through the second as the Canadian, hampered by a left-calf injury, faded.
The Italian sealed victory with an ace after one hour and 41 minutes.
“Winning the first match is always important in this format,” said Sinner, who improved to 11-2 at the year-end event. “Felix played very aggressive tennis, and I had to stay patient. I hope his injury isn’t serious.”
The 24-year-old extended his unbeaten streak on indoor hard courts to 27 matches – the longest on tour – and his Turin record to six straight wins, having claimed last year’s title without dropping a set. A repeat victory this week could make him world No. 1, overtaking Spanish rival Carlos Alcaraz, who has beaten him four times this season.
Sinner next faces Alexander Zverev, who began his own campaign by beating American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(6). The win marked Zverev’s 18th career ATP Finals victory, tying Stefan Edberg and Jimmy Connors for 10th all-time.
The German world No. 3 is seeking redemption after a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Sinner in last week’s Paris Masters semifinal. But history doesn’t favor him – Sinner has beaten Zverev in their last four meetings and now leads the head-to-head 5-4.
While Zverev boasts a 55-23 season record, his 4-9 mark against top-10 opponents this year underlines his struggles against elite competition. Sinner, meanwhile, has gone 15-4 against the top 10 in 2025 and 21-4 since last year’s Finals – proof of his rise to consistency and control.
A victory Wednesday would all but secure Sinner’s semifinal spot and equal Zverev’s 55 wins this season – another sign of how far the Italian has come.
Earlier, Taylor Fritz opened his Jimmy Connors Group campaign with a clinical 6-3, 6-4 win over Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, who was a late replacement for Novak Djokovic.
The American, last year’s runner-up, dominated on serve, winning 84 percent of first-serve points and facing no breaks.
“It’s the last tournament of the season, and it’s a big deal,” Fritz said. “Every time I come here, it’s easy to get motivated.”
Fritz will meet Carlos Alcaraz next, while Musetti faces Alex de Minaur.
