Aliassime lands big catch among Zverev's constant doubts

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Carlos Alcaraz already knows who his opponent will be in the semifinals of the Nitto ATP Finals 2025. It is the Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime, who had the courage to defeat Alexander Zverev tonight to earn another dance in Turin.

It shouldn't be news, much less, that Félix Auger-Aliassime beats Alexander Zverev in a match. Firstly, because he had already done it several times in the past. Secondly, because at the ATP Finals, he plays under conditions where the Canadian shines, grows, reaches his full potential to dine at the table with the best. And thirdly, because his friend Sascha seems somewhat lost in terms of which group he belongs to. He may know his ranking, World No. 3, but on the court, he fails to prove it. The frustration of making a leap in quality is what sometimes leads him to slip up against the chasers coming from behind.

On the opposite side, tonight he faced a Félix who almost always arrives floating on this season's circuit, loaded with confidence after good indoor results – including a title – and with little fear of facing Zverev, who no longer instills the same fear as he did years ago. Today, Alexander is a vulnerable, fragile player, far from his best version. All of this ultimately affects the mental aspect, meaning he won't be able to dominate the key points of an important match. This was evident in the last game of the first set, where Zverev left the door open for a break, and that's where Aliassime stepped in to take the set.

Of course, considering the history of the Canadian, we couldn't take anything for granted. What is Felix's toughest subject? Aside from his backhand, it is definitely the mental one. For some reason, the guy struggles to perform at his best when the day of reckoning arrives. And if he overcomes it one day, the barrier rises even higher the next. The match this Saturday meant multiple phases. The first one is always about performance, which is why the one in better form takes the first set. But after that moment, everything becomes mental, whether you like it or not. The one leading thinks about how close victory is, which is not good. The one trailing, fearing failure, tends to play it safe and avoid risks. Can Zverev be more contemplative than he already is normally? Absolutely.

This Aliassime is different... and this Zverev remains the same

There was a hint of breaking in the second set right from the start, a typical moment where the wind keeps blowing in the same direction, but with a significant reward if you can withstand the storm. Somehow, Alexander managed to avoid a more significant tragedy and not fall completely behind on the scoreboard. With the score at 2-2, they both played once again without inhibitions, at least until that moment when things heated up again. At 4-3 with 0-30 in favor of Aliassime, it felt like déjà vu similar to the first set, but Zverev brought out his shield to protect himself once more. The scene repeated at 6-5 and 15-30. However, even here, the German didn't capitulate.

As the tiebreak approached, considering their respective percentages, Félix seemed mischievous. It's true he could have closed it much earlier, although he never truly faced a break point. But surely, he would have happily accepted being in this situation. The passage to the ATP Finals' semifinals was at stake, possibly one of the biggest stages he has ever set foot upon in his career, so there's no doubt there were extra nerves. On the other side of the net, Zverev let himself drift, although rest assured he won't let it happen again this season. Victory for the Canadian (6-4, 7-6), deserved in every aspect. Alexander concludes the season with more doubts than certainties, while the Montreal native awaits a meeting with the world's best player tomorrow. Let's see what he's capable of.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Un gran Aliassime pesca entre las dudas del Zverev de siempre