Italy’s Jannik Sinner, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, showcased his dominance on Saturday, October 28, 2023, by defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev with a decisive score of 6-0, 6-1 in the semifinals of the Rolex Paris Masters. With this victory, Sinner advanced to the final of the prestigious tournament for the first time in his career.
Sinner’s performance was characterized by impressive statistics, including eight aces and a striking first serve success rate of 90%, winning 19 of 21 first serve points. He also converted 6 of 9 break points and won a total of 54 out of 80 points, translating to a 68% success rate. Following the match, Sinner expressed his satisfaction but acknowledged that he had hoped for a more competitive environment.
“I’m happy to be in the final, but it’s not how you want to arrive,” Sinner remarked, referring to Zverev’s struggles during the match. Zverev, who had recently played a grueling quarterfinal match against Daniil Medvedev, where he triumphed 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5), seemed fatigued and unable to find his rhythm against Sinner. Despite finally securing a game at the start of the second set, Zverev’s hopes quickly faded as Sinner rattled off six consecutive games to clinch the match.
Sinner noted Zverev’s physical struggles, stating, “Playing against Sascha is always a special occasion, and today he was clearly not 100 percent, we saw that. He was struggling physically. He won an incredible match yesterday.”
Final Matchup Against Auger-Aliassime
With his victory, Sinner is set to face Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is ranked No. 10 in the ATP standings, in the final. Auger-Aliassime secured his spot by defeating Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik with a score of 7-6 (3), 6-4. The Canadian’s performance was marked by 12 aces and a total of 26 winners.
Sinner commented on Auger-Aliassime’s recent form, stating, “He plays incredible tennis at the moment. He has improved a lot, especially in the past months. He has found his game again. I’m looking forward to it tomorrow; it’s a great occasion for both of us. I’m very happy for Felix; he is one of the nicest guys we have on Tour. It’s going to be a very difficult match.”
This final presents an opportunity for Sinner to close the gap on rival Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP rankings, as he currently trails by just 100 points. Historically, Sinner and Auger-Aliassime are even at 2-2 in their head-to-head matchups, with Sinner winning their last two encounters earlier this year at the US Open and in Cincinnati.
As the anticipation builds for the final, fans are eager to witness what promises to be a thrilling contest between two of tennis’s rising stars.
