First set: Alcaraz 2-1 Auger-Aliassime* (*denotes next server)At 15-all, AA appeals to Hawk-Eye to save him from going 30-15 down,It’s in vain,Alcaraz then annihilates AA with a forehand cross-court winner that scorches the sideline for 40-15,And it’s swiftly game,Six winners already from Alcaraz, who skips back to his chair.

He’s in the zone.First set: Alcaraz* 1-1 Auger-Aliassime (*denotes next server)Alcaraz is fist-pumping after he pulls off the first passing shot of the match with a backhand down the line to rival those Sinner produced earlier.0-15.And he’s fist-pumping again after a cross-court forehand on the run sets up an inside-in forehand winner.Wow.

0-30.0-40.Three brilliant points from Alcaraz and this is some statement of intent.Alcaraz gets a little over-excited on the first break point and overhits, but I don’t think anyone can blame him for going for another winner given his success so far.And the next two bps disappear too, as AA increases his level to stop Alcaraz’s surge.

Three deuces and three advantages AA later, AA escapes with a hold.Carlos is bringing the HEAT 🔥@carlosalcaraz | #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/3KwfQ8ZwLgFirst set: Alcaraz 1-0 Auger-Aliassime* (*denotes next server)Ready? Let’s play.Alcaraz to serve first.

Auger-Aliassime – whom I’m calling Double AA, AA, FAA or Felix from now on for the sake of brevity/my fingers – attacks from the off, ripping a winning return off a second serve,But Alcaraz sees Felix’s aggression and raises it with a winner of his own,15-all,A cross-court exchange follows, before the Canadian makes a mess of a forehand down the line,Nonetheless, this has been a high-quality start from both players.

Alcaraz accelerates to 40-15 but, having been moved one way and then the other by AA, he nets.He seems to be blaming his shoelaces, which he re-ties.From 40-30 he takes the game.Prediction time.“I hope it’s a three-set epic, because Auger-Aliassime’s resurgence has been so fun to watch,” says Laura Robson on Sky.

“But I think you have to go with Alcaraz; it seems right to end the season with another Alcaraz-Sinner final.” And Tim Henman’s in agreement: “Auger-Aliassime has to win the rallies in the first few shots, otherwise Alcaraz is too powerful.Maybe Auger-Aliassime can take it to some tie-breaks, but most likely it’s Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.”Auger-Aliassime, dressed all in purple, wins the toss and elects to take a shot at Alcaraz’s serve first.Alcaraz, with his bleached hair almost as bright as his fluorescent yellow top, charges to the back of the court, Rafa-like, to start the warm-up.

Auger-Aliassime arrives first, before the Italian crowd greet Alcaraz with a few pantomime boos.Probably mainly because of his status as Sinner’s main rival, but maybe they’re also disappointed that their home hero played earlier rather than in the evening session.Ho hum.The players are late.So let’s talk tactics.

Auger-Aliassime, like so many players, is about his huge serve and forehand.He’s unlikely to be intimidated by Alcaraz and will attack the world No 1, but the Spaniard has more variety and a better all-round game.Alcaraz won their past four meetings in straight sets – but none of those were on indoor hard, Auger-Aliassime’s favourite surface – so Turin’s Inalpi Arena definitely provides the Canadian with a greater opportunity.Alcaraz comes into this semi-final with the comfort of knowing he’s already secured the year-end world No 1 ranking, the trophy for which he picked up yesterday.With eight titles this season, on hard courts, clay, grass and indoors, this has been his most consistent year across all surfaces – rivalled only, of course, by Sinner.

If Alcaraz wins tonight a 14th title of the year will be heading to tennis’s top two,Already this evening, the all-British doubles semi-final has gone the way of Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, who’ve taken a match tie-break 10-8 to oust the top seeds and Wimbledon champions Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool,And we’ve now got three-quarters of an all-British final, because Britain’s Henry Patten and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara won earlier,The winning moment 🫂 @joesalisbury92 and @nealskupski will take on Heliovaara/Patten for all the marbles on Turin! #NittoATPFinals pic,twitter.

com/nGpKqNjr9sThe last time these two met, Alcaraz gave Auger-Aliassime a proper beating at the 2024 Olympics.Expect this evening to be closer:Buonasera! I’m back.And Carlos Alcaraz and Felix Auger-Aliassime will be joining us in about 20 minutes.This semi-final pits the world No 1 against the former prodigy who was once spoken of as a possible successor to the Big Three before Alcaraz had even entered the conversation.Auger-Aliassime appeared to have greatness pending when he beat Federer, Nadal and Djokovic before the age of 21, but the Canadian was stalled by a failure to win finals, inconsistency and injuries.

This season has been the 25-year-old’s best since 2022 – which was the last time he got a win over the now 22-year-old Alcaraz – with a run to the US Open semi-finals in September and three titles, two of which came on indoor hard courts,Auger-Aliassime may not be the leading man tonight, but he’s arguably been the better player indoors this year,Alcaraz will not take him at all lightly,Jannik Sinner continued his total dominance of the indoor season as he held off an admirable early challenge from Alex de Minaur before bulldozing his path into the ATP Finals for a third consecutive year with a supreme 7-5, 6-2 victory, extended his winning record against the Australian to 13-0,Sinner continues to perform at an astoundingly consistent level that has allowed him to rapidly rise the list of all-time great men’s tennis players.

In a season that included a three-month doping ban between February and May, Sinner will attempt to win his sixth ATP title of the year in his 10th final.The 24-year-old has now won 30 consecutive indoor hard court matches and 14 matches in a row after his recent triumphs at the Vienna Open and Paris Masters.He has also won 18 consecutive sets at the ATP Finals.“Making three times consecutive finals in Turin means a lot to me,” he said.“It’s a great atmosphere, great place for me to play tennis and also a great place for me to close this beautiful season I’ve played in.

”The tournament is now one match away from what many consider the dream final – a sixth and final showdown between Sinner, the world No 2, and the No 1, Carlos Alcaraz, in a season that has been defined by the duo’s dominance.Alcaraz will attempt to join Sinner in the semi-final on Saturday night as he faces Felix Auger-Aliassime, the eighth seed.The in-form Canadian ousted Alexander Zverev in straight sets on Friday night to reach the semi-finals of the ATP Finals for the first time.On Thursday, Alcaraz sealed his status as the ATP year-end No 1 by rolling through his group with a flawless 3-0 record.You can read the rest of Tumaini’s match report here:So the Italian has got the job done, now it’s up to Carlos Alcaraz to stick to his part of the deal later – when he faces Felix Auger-Aliassime – and give us the latest instalment in the Sinner v Alcaraz duopoly.

I’ll be back for that later (the match is scheduled for 8.30pm Turin time/7.30pm GMT).Do join me then.A dopo … !The winning moment:Welcome to the @janniksin show ⭐️The defending champion seals his 30th indoor hard court win and reaches the title decider on home soil once again!#NittoATPFinals pic.

twitter,com/HNQBD9qza9Sinner speaks:Very happy,The last event of the year, it’s great to finish this way,It was a very tough match in the first set, he was serving great,In the second set I broke very early and I tried to be more aggressive, which worked very well.

Making three consecutive finals in Turin means a lot to me.Tomorrow I will enjoy, but in any case, it’s been an amazing week.It’s the last match of the season for me [Sinner opted out of playing for Italy in the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna next week], so let’s see what happens.Sinner dispatches a winning volley for 15-0 before overcooking a forehand for 15-all, which then turns into 30-15.Sinner’s two points away.

And now one, because he shows superb touch at the net to land a backhand volley on the baseline! Sinner skews a backhand wide on the first match point … and, fittingly given his winner count today, settles matters on the second with another fizzing forehand! Sinner applauds De Minaur off court – De Minaur must be relieved he can now go on holiday and won’t have to see his nemesis again until at least the Australian swing in January – but for Sinner it’s a third consecutive ATP Finals final at his home event and he’s one win from successfully defending his title.Second set: Sinner* 7-5, 5-2 De Minaur (*denotes next server)At 30-all, Sinner attempts to bring up a match point on De Minaur’s serve, when he opts for all-out attack by coming into the net after hitting his return, but De Minaur finds the pass.40-30, game.Sinner will serve for this after the changeover.Second set: Sinner 7-5, 5-1 De Minaur* (*denotes next server)A rare stumble from Sinner for 0-15.

And another for 0-30.Perhaps he’s let his mind wander to the final … but he regains focus with an ace and gets back at De Minaur for 30-all.He’s still lost only one point on his first serve in this set – but he veers from the serving script as he’s taken to deuce.This is De Minaur’s most productive game on Sinner’s serve since the opening game of the match … and now he’s got himself a break point, which probably won’t do much as this stage apart from claw back a bit of pride.Sinner storms through the next three points to slap De Minaur in the face once more.

Second set: Sinner* 7-5, 4-1 De Minaur (*denotes next server)More brutal hitting from Sinner.“If this was boxing, the referee would stop it,” winces Tim Henman.De Minaur hauls himself off the canvas for 30-all, but Sinner isn’t in the mood to let him off the hook, and here’s a break point for a 5-0 lead.De Minaur, even with stars in his eyes, manages to smack down an ace.Deuce.

It seems to be a brief reprieve when Sinner secures another break point,But Sinner overhits his forehand,And De Minaur holds! That’s as much of a victory as he’s going to get today,Second set: Sinner 7-5, 4-0 De Minaur* (*denotes next server)Sinner, now totally rampant, surges to 40-0,Of the last 31 points, he’s won 23 of them.

Make that 24.Even Alcaraz may be slightly concerned by this level if he’s watching before his semi-final against Felix Auger-Aliassime later.It really is as good as it gets.Sinner breaks: Sinner* 7-5, 3-0 De Minaur (*denotes next server)Sinner goes into exhibition mode as he comes back from 40-15 down on De Minaur’s serve, first with a speculative forehand return that seems to be heading for the tramlines before it dips in for a winner, and second with some lovely hands at the net.And from deuce, Sinner secures a third consecutive break on De Minaur’s serve.

De Minaur said he felt like he’s been slapped in the face after his straight-sets defeat by Sinner at the Australian Open this year,I wonder how he’s feeling right now,Second set: Sinner 7-5, 2-0 De Minaur* (*denotes next server)Sinner does what Sinner does on serve, coming through with total dominance,“He looks like he’s playing PlayStation,” marvels Laura Robson,And fancy some stats? Sure you do.

That first set was the seventh consecutive set Sinner’s won at this tournament – the 17th if you take in last year’s title triumph too.He’s a set away from his 13th victory over De Minaur in 13 meetings, and his 30th win in a row on an indoor hard court.Only a certain C Alcaraz can come close.Sinner breaks: Sinner* 7-5, 1-0 De Minaur (*denotes next server)To rub salt into De Minaur’s wounds, Sinner starts the second set by winning a point he had absolutely no right to on the Demon’s serve.0-15