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Preamble

The typical complications of tournament pool play mean at this point of the ATP Finals viewers are commonly puzzled, scrambling about for a calculator and attempting to calculate the brain-busting qualification scenarios. However tonight’s match between Zverev and Auger-Aliassime, mercifully, is simple. It’s a straight shootout: the winner secures a semi-final matchup against Carlos Alcaraz at this championship finale; the loser is eliminated.

Zverev is the predicted winner for this: the third-ranked player is the player with greater achievements, has been the champion at this competition twice before and holds the advantage in their personal record 6-3, having won both their past encounters on an covered hard surface.

But … this is the surface on which Felix has secured most of his championships, he is full of confidence after his impressive recovery against Ben Shelton on recently and he took out Zverev in the US Championships third round in late summer. Furthermore, the court pace is quicker in Turin than at the US Open venue, which is even more beneficial in Auger-Aliassime's favor.

Should Zverev be cautious, like he was against the Italian, and the Canadian presses the German with his effective service game and bold strategy, there is a strong chance the young Canadian – the former prodigy who was previously positioned ahead of the younger champions to replace the tennis icons – who obtains the dubious honour of playing against the global leader tomorrow.

Play begins: at about 8.30pm local time, 7:30 PM in the UK.