Alcaraz off to winning start at ATP Finals with win over De Minaur
Shelton was broken in the opening and closing games of the first set, unable to take advantage of a break point at 2-1 down while Sinner was always capable of pulling out an ace at the crucial time, hitting two in that fourth game to hold serve.
Twice ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev booked his place in the season-ending championship after progressing to the semi-finals of the Vienna Open on Friday, marking his eighth qualification in the past nine seasons.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner reached the semi-finals of the ATP Finals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over two-times winner Alexander Zverev on Wednesday, with Ben Shelton eliminated after losing earlier to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the same group.
Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the last four of the ATP Finals with a 6-4, 7-6(4) round-robin win over two-times winner Alexander Zverev on Friday and Jannik Sinner extended his indoor hardcourt unbeaten run by beating American Ben Shelton.
The 38-year-old said he had been dealing with the injury throughout the tournament in Athens.
Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime came from a set down to earn his first victory at this year's ATP Finals in Turin with a 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5 win over American Ben Shelton on Wednesday.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are poised to reignite their rivalry at the ATP Finals, with the year-ending championship that begins on Sunday expected to produce another title showdown between the pair in a season that has belonged to them.
Jannik Sinner began his bid to retain the ATP Finals title with a resounding 7-5, 6-1 win over injury-hit Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in their round-robin clash.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner stormed to a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Alex de Minaur in the last four of the ATP Finals on Saturday, as the Australian suffered his 13th straight loss to the four-time Grand Slam winner despite a fighting start.
Carlos Alcaraz began his bid for a first ATP Finals trophy with a win over Alex de Minaur and Alexander Zverev overpowered Ben Shelton in their round-robin openers.
Australian Alex de de Minaur advanced to the semi-finals, where he will face Jannik Sinner.
Jannik Sinner battled past Spanish world number one and rival Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(4), 7-5 in the decider to win the season-ending championships.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz eased to a 6-2, 6-4 win over Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime at the ATP Finals on Saturday to set up a highly-anticipated title decider with defending champion Jannik Sinner.
Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden have clinched a spot in the prestigious season-ending ATP Finals, marking the Indian's fourth appearance in the tournament.
India's Manas Dhamne reached his first ATP Challenger final after defeating Antoine Ghibaudo in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.
India's Yuki Bhambri and his partner Michael Venus have reached the men's doubles final of the Geneva Open after defeating Petr Rikl and Adam Pavlasek in the semi-final.
India's Manas Dhamne, 18, lost to Belgium's Buvaysar Gadamauri in the final of the ATP Challenger tournament in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. Despite the defeat, Dhamne is set to break into the top 400 in the ATP rankings.
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz made light of feeling under the weather as he dispatched Russia's Andrey Rublev in impressive fashion to revive his ATP Finals hopes on Wednesday.
Defending ATP Finals champion Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the season-ending event in Turin through injury, the Serbian said on Tuesday.
Jannik Sinner became the first Italian to win the ATP Finals title following a dominant 6-4, 6-4 victory over American Taylor Fritz.
Francisco Cerundolo has become only the second Argentine to reach the Queen's Club Championships final, defeating Brandon Nakashima in a tough three-set match. Despite his limited experience on grass courts, Cerundolo displayed remarkable composure and skill, setting up a final clash against Tommy Paul. This marks his first ATP 500 final appearance.
Daniil Medvedev might have to delay his holiday plans a while longer after rediscovering his spark to beat Australia's Alex de Minaur in straight sets at the ATP Finals on Tuesday.
Flavio Cobolli left everything on Court Philippe Chatrier as he chased a first Grand Slam title on Sunday, but the Italian admitted the pressure of playing on the biggest stage ultimately proved decisive in a heartbreaking defeat.
Jannik Sinner's stupendous year may have been clouded by an anti-doping controversy but on the court he is finishing the season like an express train and has won 25 of his last 26 matches.
Taylor Fritz became the first American since 2006 to reach the title match at the ATP Finals after winning a slugfest against world number two Alexander Zverev in on Saturday.
A sluggish Carlos Alcaraz was beaten 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4 by Alexander Zverev on the his debut at the ATP Finals on Monday to continue his end-of-year slump with a third straight defeat.
Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal secured his seventh ATP Challenger singles title, defeating Felix Balshaw in the Intaro Open final in Targu Mures, Romania. This victory marks his first Challenger title in over two years, ending a significant drought and earning him 75 ATP ranking points, expected to boost his world ranking to around No. 219.
Alcaraz topped the Red Group and will face Green Group runner-up Novak Djokovic in a mouth-watering semi-final.
Rohan Bopanna and partner Matthew Ebden were defeated by the Italian duo of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in their opening match.
Gael Monfils brought the party to Roland Garros on Thursday, teaming up with his wife Elina Svitolina to win a lively, star-studded exhibition match as he prepared for his final appearance at his home Grand Slam.
Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo Masters final, regaining the world number one ranking.
Rafael Jodar joined an elite group of Spaniards who captured ATP titles as teenagers in the professional era.
Seventh seed Francisco Cerundolo out-lasted American Tommy Paul in a gruelling Queen's Club final to claim the biggest title of his career on Sunday, winning 6-7(4). 6-4. 6-3.
Frances Tiafoe is the first American since 1993 to lift the ATP 500 grass-court trophy.
Taylor Fritz moved closer to the semis of the season-ending ATP Finals after the American beat Alex de Minaur 5-7 6-4 6-3 in their last group game on Thursday, but he will have to wait and see if Jannik Sinner can take a set off Daniil Medvedev.
Djokovic was soundly beaten by Zverev in the 2018 final, a match played out in an electrifying atmosphere in front of 18,000 fans. This time the arena was empty because of the COVID-19 lockdown, a surreal backdrop for a match with so much riding on it for both men.
Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock 6-1, 7-5 defeat against Norway's Casper Ruud in his opening match at the ATP Finals
Jannik Sinner was two games away from the Italian Open final when heavy rain suspended his semi-final match against Daniil Medvedev, with Sinner leading 6-2, 5-7, 4-2.
Ilya Ivashka of Belarus will face Petr Biryukov in the final of the SM Krishna Memorial Open after defeating Hamish Stewart. In doubles, Adil Kalyanpur and Mukund Sasikumar advanced to the final.
