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Preamble

The typical complications of tournament pool play often result in during this phase of the season-ending championships viewers are commonly confused, searching around for a calculator and attempting to calculate the mind-boggling permutations of qualification. However today's game between Alexander Zverev and Auger-Aliassime, thankfully, is simple. It’s a straight shootout: the successful player secures a final four matchup against Carlos Alcaraz at this season-ending event; the loser goes home.

Zverev is the favourite for this: the third-ranked player is the player with greater achievements, has previously won at this competition on two prior occasions and leads their head-to-head 6-3, winning both their previous matches on an covered hard surface.

Yet … this type of playing field on which Felix has secured most of his championships, he is full of confidence after his remarkable turnaround against Ben Shelton on Wednesday and he took out Zverev in the US Open third round in August. Plus, the court pace is quicker in Turin than at Flushing Meadows, which is even more beneficial in Auger-Aliassime's favor.

Should Zverev be cautious, like he was against Sinner, and the Canadian presses the German with his effective service game and fearless play, there is a strong chance the North American athlete – the earlier standout who was earlier slated ahead of Alcaraz and Sinner to replace the Big Three – who earns the dubious honour of playing against the top-ranked player on Saturday.

Play begins: at around 20:30 in the host city, 19:30 Greenwich Mean Time.