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Overview

The typical complications of group stage tennis typically lead to at this point of the season-ending championships we’re often left scratching our heads, searching around for a computing device and trying to work out the mind-boggling permutations of qualification. However tonight’s match between Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, fortunately, is straightforward. It’s a straight shootout: the successful player earns a semifinal contest against Carlos Alcaraz at this season-ending event; the defeated player is eliminated.

Zverev is the favourite for this: the third-ranked player is the more accomplished player, has claimed the title at this event on two prior occasions and leads their head-to-head with six victories against three defeats, having won both their previous matches on an covered hard surface.

But … this is the surface on which the Canadian has won the majority of his titles, he is in great form after his compelling comeback against Shelton on recently and he took out Zverev in the US Championships initial phase in August. Furthermore, the playing speed is higher in the host city than at the US Open venue, which is even more beneficial in AA’s favor.

If Zverev holds back, as he did against Sinner, and Felix aggressively challenges the German with his stinging serves and bold strategy, it could well be the young Canadian – the former prodigy who was once in line ahead of the Spanish and Italian stars to succeed the legendary trio – who earns the dubious honour of competing with the global leader on Saturday.

The match starts: at about 8.30pm local time, 7.30pm GMT.