Sinner maintains 100% record with win over Shelton

Defending champion Jannik Sinner attributed his straight-set victory over Ben Shelton in the penultimate group match of the ATP Finals to his mental strength.

The Italian, who had already secured top spot in Bjorn Borg Group after winning his opening two matches, triumphed 6-3 7-6 (7-3) to advance to the knockout stages without dropping a set or losing a service game.

The 24-year-old has not lost a match since being forced to retire because of cramp from his third-round match at October’s Shanghai Masters, winning titles in Vienna and Paris along the way, while his most recent indoor defeat came at this tournament in 2023.

Sinner will face Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the semi-finals while Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who has secured the year-end number one ranking for the second time in his career, is awaiting the winner of Alexander Zverev’s meeting with Felix Auger-Aliassime later on Friday.

Already eliminated Shelton took an aggressive approach in the first set, utilising his athleticism to rush the net, particularly on Sinner’s second serve where he won five of eight points.

But, as happened in Sinner’s victory over Zverev on Wednesday where he saved all seven break points he faced, the second seed was clinical in the key moments.

He converted two of his three break-point opportunities, striking in the first and ninth games, produced a run of big first serves, including two aces, to save a break point on his own serve, and struck 13 winners to Shelton’s eight.

Both players were efficient on serve in the second set, with Sinner giving up just seven points across six service matches and Shelton holding three of his own to love while also saving the only break point of the set in the 10th game.