Jannik Sinner defeats Auger-Aliassime to clinch maiden Paris Masters title

PARIS: Italy’s Jannik Sinner powered past Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6(4) on Sunday to capture his first-ever Paris Masters title, a victory that propelled him back to the top of the men’s tennis rankings ahead of the ATP Finals.

The second seed entered the final knowing only a win would be enough to overtake rival Carlos Alcaraz in the standings — and he delivered in emphatic fashion, becoming just the fourth player in the tournament’s history to lift the trophy without dropping a set.

For ninth-seeded Auger-Aliassime, the stakes were equally high. A title win would have secured his spot at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, but his hopes were dashed after a hard-fought contest against the in-form Italian.

Sinner’s triumph marked his first Masters 1000 title of the season and his fifth overall trophy in 2025, extending his incredible indoor hardcourt winning streak to 26 matches.

“It’s huge, honestly. It was such an intense final — we both knew what was on the line,” Sinner said during his on-court interview. “He’s in a difficult spot, but from my side, I’m extremely happy.

“The past couple of months have been amazing. We’ve been working hard to improve as a player, and seeing these results makes me incredibly happy. Another title this year — it’s been an amazing season, no matter what happens in Turin.”

Sinner made an early statement by breaking Auger-Aliassime’s serve in the opening game and consolidating the lead with composed shot-making, while the Canadian struggled to contain the Italian’s powerful and precise baseline play.

Despite strong crowd support, Auger-Aliassime found few answers as Sinner dominated behind his serve, blending deep groundstrokes with delicate drop shots and half-volleys to keep his opponent guessing.

The first set saw Sinner drop just three points on serve without facing a single break point, sealing it with a stunning cross-court forehand winner.

The second set proved tighter, with Auger-Aliassime saving five break points to stay in contention. Yet, Sinner’s serve remained unbreakable, forcing the set into a tiebreak.

After trading early points, a costly error from the Canadian handed Sinner the edge, and the Italian capitalised ruthlessly — closing the match with a blistering backhand winner down the line.

The victory marked Sinner’s fifth career Masters 1000 title, underlining his red-hot form heading into the ATP Finals in Turin.

Auger-Aliassime will next compete in Metz, where he has a first-round bye, in a final effort to secure qualification for the year-end championship.