TURIN: World number one Carlos Alcaraz eased to a 6-2, 6-4 win over Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime at the ATP Finals on Saturday to set up a highly-anticipated title decider with defending champion Jannik Sinner.

The Italian second seed defeated Alex de Minaur in the other semi-final.

Alcaraz overcame Auger-Aliassime’s spirited resistance by breaking twice in the opening set and nerves appeared to hit the Canadian when serving at 5-4 down in the second as four unforced errors gifted the Spaniard the game, set and match.

Sinner and Alcaraz will go head-to-head in their sixth title decider this year when they return to the Inalpi Arena for final where the 22-year-old Spaniard will bid to win his first title at the season-ending tournament.

The Italian will be playing in his third successive final in Turin, where Sinner has not dropped a set since losing the 2023 decider to Novak Djokovic.

The final has extra spice due to Alcaraz pipping Sinner to the top spot in the men’s rankings at the end of 2025 and him contesting his 11th final of the season in front of a partisan Italian crowd.“Facing Jannik with his home crowd on an indoor court is one of the most difficult challenges in our sport right now,” Alcaraz said.

“I hope I have three or four people in the crowd cheering for me, I have my friends.”

Auger-Aliassime saved three break points in his first service game, but was merely delaying the inevitable with Alcaraz able to turn on the style at will. The Spaniard broke to lead 3-1 and wrapped up the opening set by breaking to love.

Alcaraz seized the first break with a touch of brilliance. After Auger-Aliassime chased down a wicked drop shot, Alcaraz reached full-stretch to stab a volley into the open court, pumping his fists in celebration.

“I felt like I could do everything on court,” Alcaraz said about his opening set performance. “It didn’t matter if I did forehand down the line, drop shot or backhand down the line, I felt that everything was going to be in.”

The Canadian, who managed to force a break point in the first set, hung in longer in the second.

However, it was a case of anything Auger-Aliassime could do, Alcaraz could do better.

The Spaniard held to love to lead 5-4 before the battling Auger-Aliassime collapsed under the pressure, leaving Alcaraz to race across the court to celebrate with his team.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2025