🔗 Share this article

Preamble

The occupational hazards of tournament pool play typically lead to during this phase of the ATP Finals viewers are commonly scratching our heads, hastily looking for a calculator and striving to determine the complex permutations of qualification. However today's game between Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, fortunately, is simple. It's a direct elimination: the winner sets up a semi-final matchup against Alcaraz at this season-ending event; the loser heads out.

Zverev is the predicted winner for this: the elite athlete is the more accomplished player, has claimed the title at this competition previously on two instances and holds the advantage in their personal record with six victories against three defeats, winning both their previous matches on an covered hard surface.

However … this particular court on which Felix has secured most of his championships, he’s riding a high after his compelling comeback against Shelton on Wednesday and he defeated the German in the US Open initial phase in late summer. Additionally, conditions are faster in the host city than at Flushing Meadows, which is even more beneficial in the Canadian's benefit.

If the German player is reserved, as he did against Sinner, and Felix aggressively challenges the German with his stinging serves and bold strategy, there is a strong chance the young Canadian – the one-time phenom who was previously positioned ahead of the younger champions to take over from the tennis icons – who secures the dubious honour of facing the top-ranked player on Saturday.

Action commences: at about 8.30pm local time, 7:30 PM in the UK.