Jannik Sinner opened his Turin campaign with a composed 7-5, 6-1 win over Félix Auger-Aliassime, blending shot-making with poise at the business end of the first set. Early on, the Canadian held ground behind a heavy first serve and frequent changes of height and pace; Sinner answered by probing the backhand corner and striking the down-the-line backhand to pry open space.
A late break decided the opener as the Italian dialed in on second-serve returns and served it out cleanly. The momentum carried into set two, where Sinner elevated his first-serve percentage, owned the baseline exchanges, and pinned returns at Auger-Aliassime’s feet to neutralize his first strike. The Canadian, who received treatment for a left-leg issue near the end of the first set, appeared less mobile and struggled to reset after early scoreboard pressure.
From there, Sinner protected his lead with efficient service games and brisk point construction under the roof. Beyond the scoreline, Sinner’s performance checked key boxes for a title defense in round-robin play: indoor confidence, reliable serve-plus-forehand patterns, and cool decision-making on pressure points.
With two group matches still to come, he positions himself well for the semifinals. Auger-Aliassime now faces a quick turnaround—he’ll need higher first-serve numbers and cleaner net transitions to keep qualification hopes alive.
