Zverev Takes On Auger-Aliassime in Season-Ending Championships Match
Overview
The occupational hazards of round-robin tennis typically lead to during this phase of the season-ending championships we’re often left puzzled, searching around for a computing device and striving to determine the brain-busting qualification scenarios. But tonight’s match between Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, mercifully, is easy. It’s a straight shootout: the victor sets up a semifinal matchup against Alcaraz at this championship finale; the defeated player goes home.
Zverev is the favourite for this: the elite athlete is the more experienced competitor, has claimed the title at this event previously on two instances and is ahead in their direct encounters with six victories against three defeats, securing victories in both their past encounters on an covered hard surface.
But … this is the surface on which Auger-Aliassime has claimed the bulk of his trophies, he is in great form after his compelling comeback against Ben Shelton on midweek and he eliminated Zverev in the US Open early stage in late summer. Plus, conditions are faster in the host city than at Flushing Meadows, which works even more in the Canadian's favour.
If Zverev holds back, as he did against Sinner, and Auger-Aliassime takes it to the German with his effective service game and fearless play, it could well be the North American athlete – the former prodigy who was previously positioned before the younger champions to replace the legendary trio – who obtains the questionable privilege of competing with the global leader the next day.
Play begins: at around 20:30 in the host city, 7:30 PM in the UK.
