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Introduction

The occupational hazards of tournament pool play often result in by this stage of the ATP Finals we’re often left scratching our heads, scrambling about for a calculator and trying to work out the brain-busting qualification scenarios. But tonight’s match between Zverev and Auger-Aliassime, mercifully, is straightforward. It's a direct elimination: the victor secures a final four battle against Carlos Alcaraz at this championship finale; the unsuccessful competitor is eliminated.

Zverev is the favourite for this: the world No 3 is the player with greater achievements, has been the champion at this event twice before and leads their head-to-head with six victories against three defeats, winning both their previous matches on an covered hard surface.

However … this particular court on which the Canadian has won the majority of his titles, he’s riding a high after his impressive recovery against Shelton on midweek and he took out the German in the US Open third round in August. Additionally, the playing speed is higher in Turin than at the US Open venue, which provides an additional advantage in Auger-Aliassime's favour.

Should Zverev be cautious, as he did against Sinner, and Felix aggressively challenges the German with his effective service game and bold strategy, it could well be the young Canadian – the former prodigy who was once in line in front of the Spanish and Italian stars to take over from the tennis icons – who secures the questionable privilege of playing against the top-ranked player the next day.

The match starts: at approximately 8:30 PM in Turin, 7.30pm GMT.