Auger-Aliassime beats Zverev to set up Alcaraz semi

Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime set up a semi-final with world number one Carlos Alcaraz by beating Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the final group match of the ATP Finals.

Neither player was at their best in what was a must-win match, sharing 55 unforced errors, but two-time champion Zverev was left to rue failing to convert any of his four break points as Auger-Aliassime held his nerve to win 6-4 7-6 (7-4) and secure second place in the Bjorn Borg Group behind Jannik Sinner.

The Italian, the defending champion, had defeated already-eliminated Ben Shelton 6-3 7-6 (7-3) earlier on Friday to maintain his 100% record and extend his winning run to 13 matches.

“This is the grand finale and when you see the list of champions it’s pretty much just world number ones,” said Auger-Aliassime.

“You want to be in finals. I’m going to have to go through a great player but I’m going to take my chance if I have it.”

There was a sense of deja vu for an increasingly frustrated Zverev, who had wasted seven break points in his straight-set defeat by Sinner on Wednesday.

And after being almost impenetrable on serve, dropping just three points in his opening four games, a run of errors in the 10th game – including missing a routine volley at deuce – gifted Auger-Aliassime the first set.

Italian Sinner has warned that Alex de Minaur “doesn’t have a lot to lose” in their semi-final.

Sinner advanced to the last four without dropping a set or a service game, showcasing his clinical touch against Shelton by converting two of his three break-point opportunities in the first set and sealing the win in the tie-break with his second match point.

Efficient on serve throughout the match, he shut down Shelton’s only break point – he has now saved all eight he has faced in Turin – and gave up just seven points in six second-set service games.

The 24-year-old, targeting a third consecutive appearance in the final at the end-of-season showpiece, boasts a 12-0 record against seventh seeded De Minaur but is unwilling to underestimate the Australian, who upset Taylor Fritz to clinch second place in the Jimmy Connors Group.

“I’m very happy for [De Minaur],” Sinner said. “Props to him for coming back with that performance [against Fritz]. It’s one of the best matches I’ve seen him play.

“I have to be very careful – he doesn’t have a lot to lose. It’s going to be very difficult.”

In the doubles, a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 victory for Henry Patten and his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara over Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic means there will be five British players in the semi-finals – the most from a single nation since 1992.