Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner secured the first semifinal berth at the ATP Finals on Wednesday, solidifying his strong bid for the championship title and a potential year-end world number one ranking.
The world number two defeated German Alexander Zverev, ranked world number three, in straight sets with scores of 6-4, 6-3. The match in Turin lasted one hour and 38 minutes.
This victory follows Sinner’s earlier win against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. He now leads Group Björn Borg, ensuring his advancement to the knockout stage with a perfect record.
Sinner’s commanding performance also places him in contention for the coveted year-end world number one spot. However, achieving this ranking does not depend solely on his own results.
Zverev will now face Auger-Aliassime in their final group stage match to determine the second qualifier from their group. Both players currently hold one win and one loss.
Auger-Aliassime defeated American Ben Shelton, ranked world number five, in a three-set battle earlier on Wednesday. The scores were 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-5, in a match lasting two hours and 26 minutes.
With two losses, Shelton is now eliminated from the competition.
Spanish rival Carlos Alcaraz could secure the year-end number one ranking if he wins his match on Thursday, highlighting the tight race at the top of men’s tennis. Sinner was a finalist at the ATP Finals in 2023.