match report
Auger-Aliassime defeats two-time champion Zverev to set up Alcaraz SF clash in Nitto ATP Finals
Canada advanced to the knockout rounds for the first time in the final game of the season
November 14, 2025
Colleen Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Felix Auger-Aliassime takes on Alexander Zverev in Turin on Friday.
Andy West
Felix Auger-Aliassime completed a comeback from the group stages at the Nitto ATP Finals on Friday night as he overtook Alexander Zverev to clinch a semi-final spot in Turin.
The PIF ATP No. 8 defeated two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion Zverev 6-4, 7-6(4) on penalties to move into second place in the Bjorn Borg group behind Yannik Sinner. Auger-Aliassime lost the first three sets of the week to make an early exit at the Inalpi Arena, but will head into the semifinals against Carlos Alcaraz with confidence after coming from behind to beat Ben Shelton and eliminate Zverev.
Fly into the semi-finals✈️@felixtennis Will face top seed Alcaraz for a spot in the finals!#NittoATP Finals pic.twitter.com/SlD8R6CNfA
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 14, 2025
“It’s a high-value game for the players,” Auger-Aliassime said when asked about the Alcaraz clash. “It’s like a grand final and when you look at the list of winners you see there are a lot of firsts. You want to get to the final but I have to do it through a great player. If I get the chance I’ll take it.”
According to the Infosys ATP Win-Loss Index, Auger-Aliassime defeated Zverev and achieved his 50th tour-level victory of the season, becoming the second Canadian to reach the semi-finals of the Nitto ATP Finals after Milos Raonic in 2016. He also swept Zverev in 2025 and won in the third round of the US Open, although the German still led 6-4 in his own game. Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
Against Zverev, Auger-Aliassime withstood the pressure of his opponent’s serve and took the lead at the end of the first set. He saved break points at 30/40 in both the fifth and ninth games, then took advantage of Zverev’s miss in game 10 to seal the first set: Although the German saved three set points at 4-5, 0/40, Auger-Aliassime hit a stunning cross-court forehand on his fourth chance to take the lead.
Watch Felix’s fireworks as he takes the first set with his forehand:
In a nerve-wracking match, both players struggled to maintain consistency in the second set. Zverev seemed frustrated with his struggles on the court, lifting the trophy in 2021 and frequently gesticulating to his team, while Auger-Aliassime wasted open looks upon his return.
Despite conceding three break points early in the set, the Canadian maintained his composure and performed rock solid in the tiebreak. Starting on May 4, he obtained consecutive small breaks through Zverev’s mistakes, and finally won a victory that took 2 hours and 7 minutes.
“The first set was great. He had some chances, but I came up with big serves to save them,” said Auger-Aliassime, who moved up three spots in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. “The first set was very solid, and so was the start of the second set. I had a lot of chances.
“When that happens, you need to focus on the present, but you realize you missed the opportunity, so the match became a bit tight from that moment on. But I was able to hold serve and in the tie-break, the match stayed close to the end.”
Auger-Aliassime will be in Turin this week chasing his fourth 2025 ATP Tour trophy, having already won in Adelaide, Montpellier and Brussels this season. Over the past decade, he has won 85 Tour events indoors, five more than second-placed Sinner.
