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Introduction

The typical complications of round-robin tennis often result in during this phase of the ATP Finals viewers are commonly confused, scrambling about for a computing device and striving to determine the mind-boggling qualification scenarios. Yet tonight’s match between Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, mercifully, is easy. It's a direct elimination: the winner earns a semi-final contest against Alcaraz at this championship finale; the unsuccessful competitor is eliminated.

Zverev is the favourite for this: the elite athlete is the more experienced competitor, has been the champion at this tournament previously on two instances and holds the advantage in their personal record 6-3, securing victories in both the games they've played on an enclosed hard court.

But … this is the surface on which Felix has secured most of his championships, he is in great form after his compelling comeback against Shelton on midweek and he took out Zverev in the US Championships early stage in August. Furthermore, the playing speed is higher in Turin than at the US Open venue, which works even more in AA’s favour.

If the German player is reserved, as he did against Sinner, and Auger-Aliassime takes it to the European player with his powerful serves and bold strategy, there is a strong chance the North American athlete – the former prodigy who was earlier slated in front of the younger champions to replace the tennis icons – who secures the uncertain distinction of competing with the global leader tomorrow.

Action commences: at around 20:30 in the host city, 19:30 Greenwich Mean Time.